Radiofrequency Coagulation Effective for Recurrent Anterior Epistaxis

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 26, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Radiofrequency coagulation (RFC) is safe and effective for bilateral recurrent anterior epistaxis (RAE) in children with allergic rhinitis, according to a study published online Nov. 19 in the Journal of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.

Zhengcai Lou, M.D., from the Wenzhou Medical University Affiliated Yiwu Hospital in China, and colleagues conducted a prospective, randomized controlled study to compare the clinical outcomes of 100 pediatric patients aged 6 to 14 years with RAE and allergic rhinitis treated intraoperatively with silver nitrate cauterization (SNC) or RFC (50 patients in each group).

The researchers found that rebleeding rates were 18, 46, and 58 percent, respectively, at the fourth week, third month, and 12th month in the SNC group, compared with 2, 0, and 0 percent, respectively, in the RFC group. The mean Epistaxis Severity Score was significantly lower in the RFC group than the SNC group at each follow-up time point. At all postoperative time points, the mean visual analog scale (VAS) scores for nasal crusting and impact on daily life were significantly lower in the RFC group. Furthermore, at the third and 12th month, the RFC group exhibited significantly lower mean VAS scores for runny nose and itchy nose. At the 12th month postoperatively, the mean VAS score for nasal obstruction was also significantly lower in the RFC group. In the SNC group, there were no cases of septal necrosis or perforation, but one case was seen among four who underwent RFC using the ablation mode.

“RFC significantly improves epistaxis and alleviates associated nasal symptoms,” the authors write.

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