An Audit of Otologic Injuries in a Nigerian Tertiary Health Facility

Abstract

Background: The dearth of information despite its common occurrence stimulated our interest to audit cases of otologic injuries in a Nigerian tertiary hospital
Methods: This was a retrospective study of patients with otologic injuries that were managed at Otorhinolaryngology department of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria between July 2006 and June 2012.
Results: A total of 149 cases with M: F ratio 1.2: 1. The right ear was affected in 55% of patients. Most of the injuries due to foreign bodies (58.2%) occurred in children aged 1-10years while the majority of ear injuries from Road Traffic Crashes (78.3%) occurred among age group 21 – 40 years. Most of the penetrating injuries (81.3%) occurred during habitual practice of ear cleaning. There was a significant association between age and the cause of injury (X 2 = 38.977, p < 0.0001). More than a quarter of patients with foreign bodies had complications from mismanagement by inexperienced medical personnel.
Conclusion: Otologic injuries are common in our environment. General practitioners should have adequate exposure to ENT training and provide prompt referral to the Otorhinolaryngologist to avoid unnecessary  complications. Public enlightenment to persuade people to desist from the acts of cleaning the ear will prevent much accidental penetrating injuries

Key words: Otologic injuries, foreign bodies, conservative management, iatrogenic complications