Abstract:
Abstract
Introduction: Airway obstruction is a problem facing all medical and surgical subspecialists
caring for patients with chest diseases. The incidence of this disorder appears to be rising
because of the epidemic of lung cancer; however, benign causes of central airway obstruction
are being seen more frequently as well.
Objective:To determine the magnitude, causes and outcomesof airway obstruction among
patients who visited the emergency unit of Gondar University Hospital, North Gondar,
North West Ethiopia, 2017.
METHODS: Hospital based cross sectional study design was conducted from March 15 to
June 22/2017. Convenient sampling technique was used to get a total sample size of 200.
A pretested structured questioner was used to collect the data. Data was entered and
analyzed using SPSS version 20 software. Logistic regression model was fitted to identify
factors associated with air way obestruction.
Results: A total of 200 air way obstruction patients presented to the emergency department
were included under the study. Of the total patients 103 (51.5%) were age group between 15
to 25 years. Majority 116 (58%) of the respondents were male. Of the total study subjects
29(14.5%) of them were dead. Regarding to the clinical presentation 45 (22.5%) of them had
shortness of breath followed by muffled voice 34(17%). Among the respondents 42 (21%) of
the patient were trauma patient.
Conclusion:Chronic medical problems like asthma, local swellings (mass); Goiter,
Peritonsilary abscess retropharyngeal abscess and trauma, foreign bodies, infections like
croup, pneumonia, HIV/AIDS and other local inflammations. In addition, there were
29(4.5%) Deaths during the study period however the factors that contribute of the death
were not identified in the study