Pediatric ear, nose, and throat emergencies: An experience from a tertiary center in Northwestern Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Ear, nose, and throat (ENT) emergencies constitute a significant presentation at the pediatric emergency room worldwide. Often times, the management of these emergencies may be challenging, especially if the appropriate instruments/expertise are not available. Objectives: This study aims to present our experience in the management of pediatric ENT emergencies. Methodology: The record of pediatric patients managed for otorhinolaryngologic emergencies over 3 years between January 2015 and December 2017 was reviewed. Demographic and clinical data were retrieved and analyzed using the Statistical Product and Service Solution version 23.0 software (SPSS Inc., Chicago, Illinois, USA). Results: A total of 402 emergencies were reviewed. There were 206 (51.2%) boys and 196 (48.8%) girls with male-to-female sex ratio of 1.05:1 and mean age ± SD of 4.86 ± 3.9 years. Acute otitis media was the most common otologic pediatric emergency, accounting for 102 (25.4%). Ear foreign bodies (FBs) were the second most common otologic condition seen in 48 (11.9%) children. Nasal FBs were the most common pediatric nasal emergencies seen in 74 (18.4%) children. Obstructive adenoiditis was the most common throat condition in this study accounting for 37 (9.2%). There was a significant association between patient's ages and outcomes. Age < 5 years is a significant positive predictor of poor outcomes. Conclusion: Most of the emergencies are inflammatory diseases, followed by FBs of the ear, nose, and throat, and the majority of the cases can be managed on an outpatient basis. The provision of appropriate instruments and experts will greatly help in the successful management of such cases.