Abstract
Objective: Assess the efficacy of the potassium-titanyl phosphate (KTP) laser DermaStat handpiece in treating prominent anterior septal vessels that cause recurrent epistaxes. The handpiece is reusable, unlike the traditional disposable light fiber, facilitating more cost-effective use of KTP technology, with potential for more widespread use in the office setting.
Method: A UK-based, single-center retrospective and prospective case series. From 2004 onward 37 patients with recurrent epistaxes and prominent anterior septal vessels with/without previous cauterization (age 4-80 years; M:F 21:16) underwent a single laser treatment. The primary outcome measure was continued cessation of epistaxis after two months.
Results: A total of 89% of patients attended follow-up at 2 months, and 88% of these had experienced complete cessation of bleeding. The remaining 12% subjectively experienced a reduction in the frequency of epistaxes. No undesirable side-effects of the treatment were experienced or evident at follow-up.
Conclusion: The “Jain technique” using the DermaStat handpiece with the KTP laser is an effective method of controlling recurrent anterior epistaxes. The technique is safe, with no observed complications, and the re-usability of the hand piece facilitates more widespread and cost-effective use of KTP technology.
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