Ear, Nose, and Throat Foreign Bodies in the Paediatric Population: Did the COVID-19 Lockdown Change Anything?

ABSTRACT

Background In the pediatric population, the ear, nose, and throat (ENT) foreign body is a common presentation for emergency departments (ED) and ENT units. COVID-19 has led to a significant impact on the health care system and the overall mental well-being of the general population. With the health care system under significant strain, we noted a continued presence of children with foreign bodies, with some requiring removal under a general anesthetic. Aim We aimed to assess if lockdown measures increased or decreased the incidence of children presenting to the hospital with ear, nose, and throat foreign bodies and to evaluate their management by the ED and ENT specialties. Method A retrospective data of children presenting with a foreign body in the ear, nose, and throat from March 2020 to August 2020 was compared with the data for the same period in 2019. Results Our study showed an overall decrease in children presenting with foreign bodies in 2020 compared to 2019 (n=90 and n=106, respectively). However, the number of children needing general anesthetic remained the same, and those presenting with foreign bodies in the upper aerodigestive tract were higher in 2020. Conclusion Children with foreign ear, nose, and throat bodies continued to present to the hospital during the COVID-19 lockdown. Our study shows an overall decrease in the number of children presenting with Ear, Nose, and Throat foreign body during the lockdown, but not statistically significantly different.