The COVID-19 Pandemic and Emergencies in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery: An Analysis of Patients Presenting to Emergency Rooms in South-West Germany: A Bi-Center Study.

ABSTRACT: This study was designed to examine the changes in emergency room visits in otolaryngology, head and neck surgery, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study included 11,277 patients who presented to a tertiary care hospital (ER) and an emergency practice (EP) during on-call hours in the first half of 2018, 2019, and 2020. The epidemiologic parameters, diagnoses, and level of urgency were recorded using a four-step scale. A comparison was made between the pre-pandemic years and 2020. The findings revealed a significant decrease in the frequency of ER visits in the second quarter of 2020 compared to 2019 (ER: 30.8%, EP: 37.8%), mainly due to the fact that there were significantly fewer patients, with low levels of urgency. Certain diagnoses, such as epistaxis (-3.0%) and globus sensation (-3.2%

SUBMITTER: Wolpert S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11354163 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature