Profile of Otorhinolaryngology-Related Emergency Department Visits and Revisits in a Tertiary Care Center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Background/Objectives: Otorhinolaryngologic (ENT) complaints constitute a substantial proportion of emergency department (ED) visits, ranging from minor to life-threatening problems. The patterns and frequency of these presentations in Saudi Arabia remain poorly described. This study, therefore, aimed to address this gap by examining the most frequent ENT-related presentations to the ED at a tertiary center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to identify common diagnoses, describe patient demographics, and evaluate annual trends in ED visits. Methods: A retrospective study of all consecutive ENT-related emergency department visits between January 2019 and December 2024 was conducted at King Abdulaziz Medical City, a tertiary care center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Diagnosis classification used the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10). Data on patient demographics, presenting complaints, and hospital admissions were extracted. Descriptive analyses were performed to assess annual trends and common diseases. Results: A total of 22,014 patients were included in the present study, with a slight male (54%) predominance. Across 34,290 ED visits, annual presentations were the highest in 2019 (23.9%) and lowest in 2020 (9.2%). Most patients were discharged from ED (91.9%). The most frequent diagnoses were acute pharyngitis (29.1%), acute tonsillitis (26.2%), and otitis media (22.3%). Conclusions: The study examined the otorhinolaryngology conditions most frequently encountered in an ED setting. The findings highlight a range of ENT disorders that are commonly seen in this setting. Recognizing these prevalent conditions and their patterns can improve ED physicians’ preparedness, triage, and management of patients presenting with ENT emergencies.