Disease of the Ear, Nose and Throat in Tropical Africa

THE pattern of disease shows considerable variation in different parts of the world, but most studies have been concerned with variations of malignant disease. A survey of all diseases affecting the ear, nose and throat is of value in the absence of previous reports from this region of Africa. With one oto-rhino-laryngologist in Uganda during the period covered by the survey, there has been a unique opportunity to see and look after all patients attending the ear, nose and throat unit. An attempt has been made to increase the value of this survey by including comparative rates of incidence of disease from figures available in the United Kingdom. In the absence of comprehensive studies of a similar nature, two sources have been used. Rates have been calculated from data published in the Reports of the Institute of Laryngology and Otology in London, relating to the operations performed in the Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital, and from figures made available by the Oxford Record Linkage Study and Unit of Clinical Epidemiology (Acheson, 1966). The purpose of this paper is to assess the incidence of the surgical conditions seen in an ear, nose and throat unit in tropical Africa. Discussion of individual conditions has been curtailed to include their salient features only, and more detailed reports are in the course of preparation. The present study is based on the case notes of all patients whose names appear in the ear, nose and throat theatre registers of Mulago Hospital during the years i960 to 1965. In the absence of supporting numerical data, the incidence of non-surgical lesions will not be discussed.