Head injury is the leading cause of morbidity, mortality and disability in India. Many such cases present with ENT injuries. ENT manifestations are often associated with varying degree of physical and functional damage. The aim of the study is to determine proportion of ear, nose and throat manifestations in head injury patients and its impact on Quality of Life (QOL). This is an observational prospective study of 98 patients with head injury. Most commonly involved site of injury is nose (38.8%). In ear most commonly affected site is external ear (16.3%). Facial palsy is observed in 5.1% patients. The most common type of injury is abrasion (29.6%). The most commonly fractured facial bone is maxilla (13.3%). At 1 month post injury, 6.5% patients feel their routine activity is limited while 54.4% patients feel depressed. 41.3% patients feel their external appearance has changed and 6.5% patients reported limitations in doing heavy activity. After 3 months limitation in routine activity, feeling of depression and feeling of change in external appearance of face has improved in most patients. Limitation of doing heavy activity has persisted even after 3 months in 6.5% cases. Young male adults are most commonly involved in head injury with nose being the most common site involved and maxilla is the most common bone fractured in ENT manifestations. QOL is affected in almost 50% cases as reported at the end of 1 month which improve in many by 3rd month.
Keywords: ENT manifestations; Head injury; Quality of life.
© Association of Otolaryngologists of India 2021.