Spectrum of ENT Emergencies in a Tertiary Care Centre- A Retrospective Study

Background: Ear, Nose, and Throat emergencies are common presentations in the emergency department. The ENT emergency spectrum ranges from simple earache and foreign bodies to critical life-threatening conditions like stridor, penetrating neck trauma and severe respiratory distress syndrome. Early diagnosis and prompt management can significantly reduce both morbidity and mortality associated with ENT emergencies. Aim: To determine the demographic characteristics of patients presenting with ENT emergencies to our institution, and to determine the magnitude, distribution pattern and outcomes of ENT Emergencies at our institution. Methods: This is a descriptive, retrospective study was conducted in a tertiary care institution in Kanyakumari district of Tamilnadu, India. The study period was for 24 months and included all the patients who presented to the casualty/ENT outpatient department due to ENT emergencies during the study period. The collected data was stored and analysed using Microsoft Excel. Results: A total of 1700 patients were included in this study with a Male to Female ratio of 1.1:1. The majority of ENT emergencies were related to the ear (60.4%) with otalgia (35.4%) being the most common presenting complaint, followed by bleeding from nose (21.5%). Acute otitis media (29.2%) was the most observed otological emergency followed by otitis externa (25.3%). Foreign body in the nose (28.2%) was the most observed rhinological emergency. 39 subjects presented with stridor and 84.6% of them required a tracheostomy. Conclusion: ENT emergencies are frequent occurrences in which timely intervention decreases associated morbidity and mortality.