A Randomised Controlled Trial Comparing the Use of Foam Polymer Nasal Tampons and BIPP in the Control of Acute Epistaxis in Primary Care

Objective: To compare the effectiveness, usefulness and acceptability of foam polymer nasal tampons (Merocel nasal tampons) to BIPP impregnated ribbon gauze in the management of acute epistaxis in ambulatory patients at primary care facilities. Design: A randomised controlled trial. Setting: Five...

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Main Authors: Pierre J.T. de Villiers, Andre Klop
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AOSIS 1999-01-01
Series:South African Family Practice
Subjects:
Online Access:https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/2237
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author Pierre J.T. de Villiers
Andre Klop
author_facet Pierre J.T. de Villiers
Andre Klop
author_sort Pierre J.T. de Villiers
collection DOAJ
description Objective: To compare the effectiveness, usefulness and acceptability of foam polymer nasal tampons (Merocel nasal tampons) to BIPP impregnated ribbon gauze in the management of acute epistaxis in ambulatory patients at primary care facilities. Design: A randomised controlled trial. Setting: Five private family practices, a community health centre and the general outpatient department of a referral hospital in the Cape Town Metropole. Subjects: Ninety-nine cases, older than 14 years, presenting with acute epistaxis at these facilities. Main outcome measures: Ease of introduction of nasal packing, comfort to patient, bleeding at IS and 30 minutes, side effects and complications, bleeding after removal. Results: The two methods were found to have similar effectiveness in stopping epistaxis at 30 minutes after insertion. Foam polymer nasal tampons were more painful and difficult to insert and caused more discomfort while in place. BIPP packs dislodged more easily. No serious side effects were found with either method. Conclusions: The foam polymer nasal tampon is a safe, quick, relatively easy and reasonably effective method of controlling acute epistaxis in primary care patients. The cost of the foam polymer nasal tampon may limit its application in primary care practice.
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spelling doaj-art-68b68aa967264bd6835a156bea754f2a2025-08-20T04:03:17ZengAOSISSouth African Family Practice2078-61902078-62041999-01-0121110.4102/safp.v21i1.22371771A Randomised Controlled Trial Comparing the Use of Foam Polymer Nasal Tampons and BIPP in the Control of Acute Epistaxis in Primary CarePierre J.T. de Villiers0Andre Klop1Stellenbosch UniversityStellenbosch UniversityObjective: To compare the effectiveness, usefulness and acceptability of foam polymer nasal tampons (Merocel nasal tampons) to BIPP impregnated ribbon gauze in the management of acute epistaxis in ambulatory patients at primary care facilities. Design: A randomised controlled trial. Setting: Five private family practices, a community health centre and the general outpatient department of a referral hospital in the Cape Town Metropole. Subjects: Ninety-nine cases, older than 14 years, presenting with acute epistaxis at these facilities. Main outcome measures: Ease of introduction of nasal packing, comfort to patient, bleeding at IS and 30 minutes, side effects and complications, bleeding after removal. Results: The two methods were found to have similar effectiveness in stopping epistaxis at 30 minutes after insertion. Foam polymer nasal tampons were more painful and difficult to insert and caused more discomfort while in place. BIPP packs dislodged more easily. No serious side effects were found with either method. Conclusions: The foam polymer nasal tampon is a safe, quick, relatively easy and reasonably effective method of controlling acute epistaxis in primary care patients. The cost of the foam polymer nasal tampon may limit its application in primary care practice.https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/2237merocelepistaxisclinical trialbipptherapy
spellingShingle Pierre J.T. de Villiers
Andre Klop
A Randomised Controlled Trial Comparing the Use of Foam Polymer Nasal Tampons and BIPP in the Control of Acute Epistaxis in Primary Care
South African Family Practice
merocel
epistaxis
clinical trial
bipp
therapy
title A Randomised Controlled Trial Comparing the Use of Foam Polymer Nasal Tampons and BIPP in the Control of Acute Epistaxis in Primary Care
title_full A Randomised Controlled Trial Comparing the Use of Foam Polymer Nasal Tampons and BIPP in the Control of Acute Epistaxis in Primary Care
title_fullStr A Randomised Controlled Trial Comparing the Use of Foam Polymer Nasal Tampons and BIPP in the Control of Acute Epistaxis in Primary Care
title_full_unstemmed A Randomised Controlled Trial Comparing the Use of Foam Polymer Nasal Tampons and BIPP in the Control of Acute Epistaxis in Primary Care
title_short A Randomised Controlled Trial Comparing the Use of Foam Polymer Nasal Tampons and BIPP in the Control of Acute Epistaxis in Primary Care
title_sort randomised controlled trial comparing the use of foam polymer nasal tampons and bipp in the control of acute epistaxis in primary care
topic merocel
epistaxis
clinical trial
bipp
therapy
url https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/2237
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AT pierrejtdevilliers randomisedcontrolledtrialcomparingtheuseoffoampolymernasaltamponsandbippinthecontrolofacuteepistaxisinprimarycare
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