Spectrum of otorhinolaryngology emergencies in the elderly in Ibadan, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: The elderly (65 years and above) are a special group of patients whose illnesses and management are modified by the process of aging. It is thus the aim of this study to evaluate the spectrum of ear, nose, throat, head and neck emergencies among the elderly in Ibadan, Nigeria. METHOD: This is an eight-year (April 1996-March 2004) retrospective study of 87 geriatric patients who presented with otorhinolaryngological emergencies at our centre. RESULTS: Eighty-seven emergency cases studied constituted about 20% of the total geriatric cases seen within this period. There were 55 (63.2 per cent) males and 32 (36.8 per cent) females. The pharyngolaryngeal emergencies with upper airway obstruction constituted 55 per cent of the cases, a majority being a result of malignant lesions of the larynx and pharynx. Others were nasal 20.7 per cent, otological 11.5 per cent, oesophageal 9.7 per cent and head and neck 3.1 per cent. Most of the patients had emergency tracheostomy (54 per cent), as a prelude to their definitive management while 24 per cent were managed medically. CONCLUSION: Prevalence of emergency otorhinolaryngology cases among the elderly appears high. Most of the throat diseases with upper airway obstruction were due to malignancy. There is thus the need for increased awareness of the people through social campaigns and health education on the merits of early detection and seeking appropriate treatment for these tumours.