Epinephrine use in endoscopic ear surgery: Quantitative safety assessment

Introduction: The management of bleeding in exclusive endoscopic ear surgery (EES) is largely dependent on epinephrine use. However, to date its suitability and safety have not been assessed. The aim of the present study would be to assess the safety profile of topical application and/or local infiltrationof diluted epinephrine during EES regarding the intra- and postoperative periods. We hypothesize that epinephrine may be safely used during EES. Methods: Retrospective analysis of 90 EES cases performed at the University Hospital of Modena, Italy. Patient's charts and video recordings of the operations were assessed. Results: Epinephrine was used in all cases for hemostatic purposes as following: (1) diluted epinephrine (1:200,000) injection: mean 1.2 mL (range: 0-3.5) corresponding to 0.006 mg (range 0-0.018), and (2) topical application (1:1,000) directly in the surgical field: mean 7 cottonoids (range: 0-18) corresponding to mean 0.56 mg (range: 0-1.44). No major cardiovascular adverse effects were assessed. Only 2 intraoperative hypertensive events were recorded. One sensorineural hearing loss was observed in a case of cholesteatoma involving the stapes; no facial palsy occurred during the study period. Conclusion: The combined use of local injection and topical epinephrine is a safe and effective strategy to control bleeding in exclusive EES, when used within the dilutions and quantities reported in this study.