The effect of COVID-19 First Lockdown on ENT emergencies: what happened
and what can we learn?
Abstract
ENT emergencies are heterogeneous and include infections, inflammatory
and traumatic conditions. We observed what appeared to be a dramatic
alteration in emergency presentations to our unit during the early phase
of 1st COVID-19 Lockdown in 2020. Objective- This study compares pre
COVID-19 presentations with 1st Lockdown presentations and examines the
overall numbers; conditions encountered and draw conclusions which may
influence future planning for ENT services. Setting-Records for
emergency ENT presentations to a regional centre were examined for two
comparable 61-day time periods. Design and Participants-Presentations
for April and May 2019 (pre COVID-19) were compared to April and May
2020 (1st Lockdown). Records were compared with regards to overall
numbers, demography, diagnosis and treatment. Admissions for COVID-19
related airway interventions and admissions/attendances for elective
complications were excluded. Results and conclusion-In the pre COVID-19
group, 649 emergency presentations were recorded: 401 infection related
cases, 90 epistaxis, and 158 non-infectious/traumatic cases. In the 1st
Lockdown group, 254 emergency presentations were recorded: 121 infection
related cases, 56 epistaxis and 77 non-infectious/ traumatic cases.
Overall, there was a 61% reduction in emergency presentations during
the 1st Lockdown. Infectious cases reduced by 70%, epistaxis reduced by
38% and non-infectious cases fell by 51%. All of these differences
were statistically significant (p value <0.05). The infectious
category showed the greatest reduction in presentations and within this
category the greatest change was observed in Laryngeal infections
(95%), facial cellulitis (84%) and Tonsil infections (73%).