Topical application of timolol decreases the severity and frequency of epistaxis in patients who have previously undergone nasal dermoplasty for hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia.

OBJECTIVE: Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is widely known to cause bleeding that is difficult to control because of the associated vascular wall fragility. Although nasal dermoplasty results in decreased severity and frequency of nasal bleeding in patients with HHT, it does not eradicate epistaxis because this procedure cannot cover the entire nasal cavity. Residual bleeding warrants additional effective therapy. Preliminary reports on the use of β-adrenergic blockers for treating epistaxis in patients with HHT encouraged us to examine their effects in HHT patients who had previously undergone nasal dermoplasty but still complained of epistaxis.

METHODS: We performed a prospective topical timolol, a nonselective beta blocker, application study involving 12 HHT patients who had undergone nasal dermoplasty. The observation period lasted for 3 months.

RESULTS: There was one improperly enrolled case in which timolol administration was discontinued. The mean score of bleeding intensity and that of bleeding frequency were markedly reduced after treatment. Two patients who had required transfusions before treatment did not need them afterward, and patients were generally satisfied with the treatment.

CONCLUSION: Topical timolol application was effective in decreasing epistaxis. Although no adverse effects were observed in the properly selected patients, there are contraindications to timolol application that should be kept in mind when applying this treatment.