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Simple treatment for extreme nosebleeds far cheaper, improves patient experience


February 5, 2014

Dr. Shaun Kilty and colleagues have found an effective way to treat serious nosebleeds in the emergency department, reducing patient discomfort and avoiding costly hospital stays. A city the size of Ottawa will encounter an estimated 1,500 nosebleeds that require a doctor’s visit, with up to 160 of those requiring hospitalization for as much as three days. Dr. Kilty’s small clinical trial, published in The Laryngoscope, showed that using a product called gelatin-thrombin matrix (commonly used in surgery to control bleeding) is just as effective as existing treatment options, simpler to administer, between 80% and 90% less costly, and results in the patient leaving the hospital one hour after the treatment.

Funder: Baxter Corporation

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Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
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