Epistaxis Caused by Malignant Melanoma of the Nasal Cavity: A Rarity on the Rise
Source: Consultant360, March 2025
Introduction. A 67-year-old woman presented to the otolaryngologist’s office with a 2-week history of recurrent epistaxis and nasal airway obstruction limited to the right nasal passage.
History. The patient had initially attempted to control the bleeding by either squeezing the lower third of her nose or inserting a cotton ball within the right nasal passage and then compressing the lower third of the nose for several minutes. Repeat attempts to control the bleeding proved ineffective. She denied any history of bleeding diathesis, hypertension, recent nasal trauma/surgical procedure, cocaine use, antecedent or concurrent nasal/sinus infection, use of nasal sprays, anticoagulants, smoking or ethanol use.
Routine and endoscopic examination of the nose revealed the presence of mild bleeding emanating from an approximately 9.0 mm x 5.0 mm polypoid lesion located on the anterior superior nasal septum. No other bleeding sites were identified. The color of the polypod lesion was no different from that of the surrounding nasal mucosa.