nose emergencies

Question 1

what needs to be excluded?

Answer 1

septal haematoma

Question 2

what is a septal haematoma?

Answer 2

collection of blood in the space between the two nostrils in the nose

Question 3

what cause septal haematoma?

Answer 3

injury that can rupture blood vessels in and around the septum where there’s bone and cartilage

Question 4

if left untreated what can happen in septal haematoma?

Answer 4

tissue damage that can lead to infection

Question 5

what is the management of septal haematoma?

Answer 5

urgent drainage
nasal packing

Question 6

what is a complication of nasal fractures?

Answer 6

epistaxis
CSF leaks
anosmia (loss or change of smell)

Question 7

damage to what arteries can lead to epistaxis?

Answer 7

anterior and posterior ethmoidal artery
lateral nasal artery
sphenopalatine arteries

Question 8

what should you NOT do in a patient with epistaxis?

Answer 8

sedate
get patient to put head back as blood may go into stomach, irritating it and cause them to vomit -> making bleeding worse

Question 9

what is the management of epistaxis?

Answer 9

hold nose
topical vasoconstrictor, cauterise
rapid rhino packs

Question 10

if epistaxis keeps occurring despite treatment what is done?

Answer 10

arterial ligation