Background: Refractory posterior epistaxis requires cautery of sphenopalatine artery.
Objective: This study aimed to estimate the efficiency of cautery the sphenoid artery and to observe postoperative complications.
Patients and methods: This prospective study was conducted on 200 adult patients with posterior epistaxis at a private hospital and clinic in Kirkuk, northern Iraq, from the period from February 2019 to September 2021.The nasal cavity of each participant was carefully examined endoscopically to find out the location of the bleeding, and then determine the necessity of surgical intervention.
Results: A total of 200 cases of epistaxis were included, posterior epistaxis accounted for 12 (6%) of all epistaxis cases, and required cauterization of the sphenoid artery. According to the results, the success rate of all surgical cases was complete, as no serious complications were observed intra and post endoscopic cauterization, except for one case of numbness of the palate, which gradually disappeared during the first three months after the operation. Conclusions: Good success can be achieved by cautery of the sphenopalatine artery and it can be considered as the first-line for idiopathic posterior epistaxis.