Pattern of Otological Injuries in Ekiti South West Nigeria

Abstract

Ear injury is a common otorhinolaryngological disorder worldwide. This study aimed at determining the prevalence, aetiology, clinical presentation and management of otologic injuries.

This was a prospective study of patients with otologic injuries that presented at our tertiary health institution. Consented patients were studied between October 2015 and September 2017. The prevalence of ear injuries was 4.7%. There were 57.3% males and 42.7% females with male to female ratio of 1.5:1. Foreign bodies were the commonest cause of ear injury in 37.8% followed by road traffic accidents in 23.8%. Unilateral ear injury was more common than bilateral ear injury; 97.2% and 2.8% respectively. Pinna was the commonest anatomical region of injury (33.6%) followed by tympanic membrane (25.9%), temporal bone (12.6%) and external auditory canal (3.4%). Common presenting symptoms were foreign body impaction in 64.3%, otalgia in 62.2% and hearing loss in 46.9%.

Commonest complication was otitis media and this was present in 30.8% of the patients. Others were 25.9% otitis externa and 18.9% perforated tympanic membrane. We therefore concluded that Ear injuries are common otological disorders in our otorhinolaryngological practice. Commonest causes are self inflicting ear foreign bodies’ impaction and road traffic accident.

Keywords: Otologic, injuries, Trauma, Foreign bodies