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Abstract
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Background: Injuries to the ear, nose and throat (ENT) regions are not uncommon in clinical practice and can constitute a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in our setting. Within this period of study there was increasing youth restiveness in this region, with possible increase in trauma cases including the ENT regions, this study therefore is to examine the pattern and outcome of such (ENT) injuries in our institution.
Patients and Method: A 5 year retrospective study of patients with ENT injuries that were managed in the ENT surgery department from January 2004 to December 2008. The clinics, accident and emergency department, the wards and theatre registers were the sources of the data. Demographic data were extracted for analysis, also clinical presentations, and mechanism of injuries, treatment outcome and complications.
Results: Seven hundred and fifty four patients (754) with ENT injuries were seen within the five year period. Only four hundred and twenty eight patients (428) had complete records and these were analyzed. There were 266 males (62.15%), 162 females (37.85%) giving a ratio of 1.6:1. Age range 1-10 years was the most affected 191 (44.62%). The commonest cause of injury was foreign bodies (51.64%). The ear has the highest number of injury 229 (53.97%). Slaps/blows occurred mostly in the ears (48.92%). Suppurative otitis media was the commonest complication in the ear while septal deviation and stenosis in the aero-digestive tract were commonest in the nose and throat.
Conclusion: Injuries to the ENT regions are not uncommon and foreign bodies constitute a significant cause of injury. Males are more affected than females. The ear was the most affected.
Key words: Ear, Nose, Throat, Injuries, Blunt Traumas.
http://jmrp.info/index.php/jmrp/article/view/32
Language: en |