title: ENT morbidity at high altitude.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  People suffer unique health problems in high altitude areas, due to such factors as elevation, aircraft ascent and descent, extreme cold, hypoxia, hypobaria, and low relative humidity. This study was conducted to evaluate ENT morbidity at high altitude.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serving soldiers introduced to a high altitude environment who presented with various ENT symptoms were examined to identify ENT disease. In addition, patients undergoing hyperbaric chamber therapy, tracheostomy and treatment of cold injuries were also examined for ENT problems.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The following were detected: 13 cases of otic barotrauma, 11 cases of sinus barotrauma, three cases of vertigo, six cases of pinna frostbite, three cases of barotrauma caused by hyperbaric chamber therapy, an unusually high incidence of epistaxis, and innumerable patients with high altitude pharyngitis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Diseases of the ear, nose and throat contribute significantly to high altitude morbidity. In a military context, health education of troops is necessary to avoid such problems.
authors.affiliation: Department of ENT and Head and Neck Surgery, Command Hospital (Eastern Command (EC)), Kolkata, West Bengal, India. bipin_rupa@rediffmail.com
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Prasad
mesh_terms: D000531:Altitude; D001274:Atmospheric Pressure; D001469:Barotrauma / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D055873:Extreme Cold / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005627:Frostbite / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D006931:Hyperbaric Oxygenation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D010038:Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D014139:Tracheostomy; D014717:Vertigo / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy