An audit of endoscopic otorhinolaryngological practice in Jos, Nigeria

Background: Endoscopic otorhinolaryngological procedure is quicker, safer and cheaper than open surgery because of its less invasive nature. It is constantly being practiced in the developed nations and the Middle East. The indications abound in our environment. However, very few hospitals have the facilities for these procedures. The aim of this paper is to highlight the state and scope of our endoscopic practice. Method : All the case records of patients who had endoscopic otorhinolaryngological procedures within the 18 months in two teaching hospitals were retrieved and biodata, endoscopic findings and management were extracted. Result : A total of 100 cases made up of 79 (79%) adults were seen within the study period. Their ages ranged from 9 months to 76 years with average age of 42.3 years. Diagnostic endoscopic procedures were 76 (76%) while therapeutic cases were 24 (24%). Laryngoscopy was the most common endoscopic procedure constituting 62 (62%) cases. Others included oesophagoscopy (20%), bronchoscopy (10%) Conclusion : Endoscopic procedure is safe. Dearth of endoscopic equipments is a major impediment to the practice of this procedure in our environment. Collaboration between centers is a quick way to circumvent this problem and helps to keep the specialist proficient. Keywords : Otorhinolaryngology, Endoscopy, Indications, Jos Otene,