Epistaxis Treated with Epsilon-Amino-n-Caproic Acid

Abstract

The fibrinolytic activity in nasal and in circulating venous blood as well as the activator content in the inferior concha were assayed and determined in patients with nose bleeding from this area. A considerable content of plasmin in the nasal blood as well as a high activator in the mucosa and the inferior concha was found. Generalized fibrinolysis could not be demonstrated in the circulating venous blood. Five patients with diffuse capillary incoagulable nose bleeding from the inferior concha were given initially 100 ml of a 6 per cent solution of epsilon-amino-n-caproic acid resulting in complete hemostasis a few minutes after the infusion was terminated. In the case of recurrence, 6 g epsilon-ainino-n-caproic acid was given by mouth at four hours' intervals. No immediate side effects were noted.