A 25-year-old male presents with acute onset severe epistaxis following trauma. Bleeding persists despite anterior nasal packing. The most common artery responsible for posterior epistaxis in Woodruff's plexus is a branch of:

• A Sphenopalatine artery ✓
• B Anterior ethmoidal artery
• C Greater palatine artery
• D Facial artery

Explanation

Woodruff's plexus is located on the posterior inferior part of the lateral nasal wall (posterior end of the inferior turbinate and nasopharyngeal roof) and is fed primarily by the sphenopalatine artery, a branch of the maxillary artery. Posterior epistaxis arising from this plexus often fails anterior packing and requires either posterior nasal packing or endoscopic sphenopalatine artery ligation. Kiesselbach's plexus (Little's area) at the anterior septum involves branches of all four arteries and is the source of most anterior nosebleeds.

Reference: Dhingra Diseases of Ear, Nose and Throat, 7th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.