ENT emergencies
Airway, nosebleed, foreign bodies, deep neck infections, peritonsillar abscess, facial palsy and sudden hearing loss.
12 pages
Emergency
- Acute facial palsy: Bell's palsy or something elseSudden weakness of one side of the face: first decide if it is central (stroke) or peripheral…
- Bleeding after tonsillectomyAny bleeding after a tonsillectomy, even a small amount that stops, is an emergency: the patient…
- Deep neck infections: emergency managementA neck infection with swelling, trismus or trouble breathing is an emergency: protect the airway…
- Ear trauma: auricular haematoma, eardrum perforation and temporal bone fractureAn auricular haematoma is drained promptly, a torn eardrum usually heals, and a temporal bone…
- Foreign bodies in the airway and oesophagus, including button batteriesChoking, aspiration into the lungs and objects stuck in the oesophagus need different first…
- Sudden sensorineural hearing loss: an emergencyHearing that drops suddenly in one ear, without wax or infection, is an inner-ear emergency: get…
- Tracheostomy emergencies: blocked or displaced tubeA blocked or dislodged tracheostomy tube can kill quickly; oxygen to face and stoma, check the…
- Upper airway obstruction: recognition and first stepsA blocked upper airway can kill in minutes; noisy breathing, drooling and a muffled voice are…
Procedure
- Emergency front-of-neck access: cricothyroidotomy and tracheostomyWhen the airway cannot be secured from above, an opening through the cricothyroid membrane or…
- Managing a nosebleed: pressure, cautery and packingMost nosebleeds stop with leaning forward and firm pressure on the soft nose; cautery, packing…
- Peritonsillar abscess: needle aspiration and incisionPus beside the tonsil is drained by needle or incision by a trained doctor, together with…
- Removing a foreign body from the ear or noseMost objects in the ear or nose come out with good light, the right tool and one careful…
A to Z
Educational content; it does not replace a medical assessment and is not a clinical instruction. For a real case, follow current guidelines and specialist advice.
Representative model, for educational purposes only.