Urgent pediatric consultation for otologic conditions

Abstract

Introduction: Pediatric otologic disorders are one of the most frequent reasons for urgent pediatric consultation, thus demanding important medical resources.
Objective: The aim of the present study was to give quantitative description of the overall otologic pediatric pathology, presenting to an emergency ENT consultations office in the city of Sofia, Bulgaria.
Patients and method: The records of all pediatric patients presented with urgent otorhinolaryngologic symptoms during one calendar year were retrospectively reviewed.
Results: Consultations for otologic conditions in children account for 23.7% of all cases and for 55.3% of all pediatric consultations. The leading symptoms were from the external in 14.5% of the cases, form ihe middie ear - in 85.2% and form ihe inner ear in 0.3%. The most frequent etiologies include trauma for the auricle and infections for the external auditory canal and the middle ear. During the different year seasons there is significant variation in the relative incidence of otitis media and otitis externa. Much larger variations show the incidences of different pathologic otologic conditions in the different age groups. Otologic symptoms present an average of 52.8±9.4% of all emergency ENT consultations with an age peak in the age group 3-12 years, reaching up to 66%, followed by a gradual decline.
Conclusion: The observed high proportion of children with otologic symptoms seen at an emergency ENT office underlines the importance of this pathology. The data reported could be used as reference when planing the facilities needed to provide adequate specialised medical help in urban areas.