Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Fairfield General Hospital, Northern Care Alliance NHS Group, Bury, UK.
J Laryngol Otol. 2021 Feb;135(2):117-124. doi: 10.1017/S0022215121000530. Epub 2021 Feb 22.
Coronavirus disease 2019 imposed dramatic changes on ENT service delivery. Pre-pandemic, such changes would have been considered potentially unsafe. This study outlines the impact of lockdown on the incidence and management of ENT emergencies at a large UK centre.
After modification of pre-pandemic guidelines, ENT emergency referrals data during the UK lockdown were prospectively captured. A comparative analysis was performed with retrospective data from a corresponding period in 2019.
An overall reduction (p < 0.001) in emergency referrals (n = 119) and admissions (n = 18) occurred during the lockdown period compared to the 2019 period (432 referrals and 290 admissions). Specifically, there were reduced admission rates for epistaxis (p < 0.0001) and tonsillar infection (p < 0.005) in the lockdown period. During lockdown, 90 per cent of patients requiring non-dissolvable nasal packing were managed as out-patients.
Coronavirus disease 2019 compelled modifications to pre-pandemic ENT guidelines. The enforced changes to emergency care appear to be safe and successfully adopted. Arguably, the measures have both economic and patient-related implications post-coronavirus disease 2019 and during future similar pandemics and lockdowns.
2019 年冠状病毒病对耳鼻喉科服务的提供方式产生了巨大影响。在大流行之前，此类变化可能被认为是不安全的。本研究概述了英国一家大型中心在封锁期间对耳鼻喉科急症的发生率和管理的影响。
在修改了大流行前的指南后，前瞻性地捕获了英国封锁期间耳鼻喉科急诊转介数据。与 2019 年同期的回顾性数据进行了对比分析。
与 2019 年同期相比，封锁期间急诊转介（n = 119）和入院（n = 18）的总数（p < 0.001）均减少。具体来说，在封锁期间，鼻出血（p < 0.0001）和扁桃体感染（p < 0.005）的入院率降低。在封锁期间，需要非可溶解鼻腔填塞的 90%的患者接受了门诊治疗。
2019 年冠状病毒病迫使修改了大流行前的耳鼻喉科指南。对急症护理的强制性改变似乎是安全的，并成功地被采用。可以说，这些措施在 2019 年冠状病毒病之后以及在未来类似的大流行和封锁期间，都对经济和患者产生了影响。
