이비인후과질환 환자의 응급실 내원 현황

Background and Objective: The purpose of this study is to provide a basic data of the distribution of emergent ENT patients to prepare proper and prompt management in the emergency room. Materials and Method: A total of 2,376 medical records of otolaryngologic patients who visited emergency room (ER), from Feb. 1995 to Dec. 1996, were reviewed. Results: A total of 97,388 patients visited ER and the otolaryngologic patients were 2,376 (2.44%). The ratio of male to female was 55: 45 and 0-9 year-old age group was the most frequent. The most common disease was the inflammatory disease of the ear (40%) and 92% was acute otitis media. Next most common diseases were inflammatory disease of the head and neck (11%), epistaxis (11%), foreign body (10%), vertigo (9%), and trauma (7%) in order. Acute pharyngotonsillitis was the most common inflammatory disease in head and neck (70%). In the trauma, the most common site was the ear (68%) and a Q-tip like stick trauma was the most common (41%). Frequent material of the foreign body was fish bone and the sites were pharynx and larynx (36%). In vertigo patients, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (66%) was the most frequent one. The admission rate from ER was 3.1% and 15% of total admission patients was the peritonsillar abscess. (J Clinical Otolaryngol 1999;10:71-75)