title: Upper airway obstruction in Nigeria: an aetiological profile and review of the literature.
abstract: The early history of tracheostomy and intubation suggested that upper airway obstruction had been in existence for a long time. A study of 80 patients with upper airway obstructions treated over a 10-year period between 1990 and 1999 was carried out to determine the aetiology and incidence. There were 65 (81%) males and 15 (19%) females with a sex ratio of 4.3:1 (M:F). The age ranged from 6 months to 70 years; with mean age of 27 years. Ninety-nine per cent were acquired causes and 1% were congenital. The commonest site of obstruction was in the larynx 81%. In children, the most common causes were laryngeal papilloma (16%) and foreign body (14%), while in adults, laryngeal carcinoma (24%) and direct laryngeal injuries (15%). The study revealed a wide range of causes of upper respiratory tract obstruction encountered in a developing tropical country. Health education and community awareness programmes should be supported. This would encourage early presentation, prompt referral to experts and earlier treatment with improved outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. library@odekulib.skannet.com
authors.forename: A O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Ogunleye
authors.forename: O G
authors.initials: OG
authors.lastname: Nwaorgu
authors.forename: O A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Sogebi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D007830:Larynx / Q000293:injuries; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology