Early discharge following nasal pack removal: is it feasible?

Abstract

A prospective study of 50 consecutive patients admitted for nasal packing for epistaxis reveals that only 20% re-bled after removal of packs and that 96% of those recurrences occurred during the first 4 h after pack removal. No patients required repacking or blood transfusion. The need for a 24-h observation period following nasal pack removal therefore appears not to be required, and the implementation of an early discharge policy for patients treated for epistaxis by nasal packing is therefore potentially feasible, and would result in significant cost savings.