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Myringotomy tube placement: understanding the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 June 2023

Priya A Uppal Open the ORCID record for Priya A Uppal [Opens in a new window] ,
Aishwarrya Jayapal ,
Tyler Jetjomlong Open the ORCID record for Tyler Jetjomlong [Opens in a new window] ,
Rida Merchant ,
Ana Khatiashvili ,
Ethan Moritz ,
Paul J Feustel  and
Lara Reichert
Priya A Uppal*
Affiliation:
Albany Medical College, New York, USA
Aishwarrya Jayapal
Affiliation:
Albany Medical College, New York, USA
Tyler Jetjomlong
Affiliation:
Albany Medical College, New York, USA
Rida Merchant
Affiliation:
Albany Medical College, New York, USA
Ana Khatiashvili
Affiliation:
Albany Medical College, New York, USA
Ethan Moritz
Affiliation:
Otolaryngology, Albany Medical Center, New York, USA
Paul J Feustel
Affiliation:
Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical Center, New York, USA
Lara Reichert
Affiliation:
Otolaryngology, Albany Medical Center, New York, USA
*
Corresponding author: Priya A Uppal; Email: uppalp@amc.edu
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Abstract

Objective

Otolaryngologists perform bilateral myringotomy and tube placement for surgical management for otitis media with effusion. This retrospective study aimed to address the extent to which the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and season impact the number of bilateral myringotomy and tube placement procedures performed at a tertiary care centre.

Methods

A total of 1248 charts of children who underwent bilateral myringotomy and tube placement from January 2018 through February 2021 were reviewed.

Results

The cohort included 41.6 per cent females and 58.4 per cent males, with 63.7 per cent having private insurance. The median age at surgery was 2.6 years. The spring season had the most bilateral myringotomy and tube placement procedures per week. The number of bilateral myringotomy and tube placement procedures performed per week after the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic was significantly lower compared to the years prior. There was no difference in number of intra-operative effusions pre-pandemic versus after the pandemic onset.

Conclusion

This study sheds light on the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and seasonality on the rates of tympanostomy tube procedures, vital for understanding the temporality of ear infections.

Keywords

CoronavirusCOVID-19otitis mediaotitis media with effusionpediatricspublic health
Type
Main Article
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 138 , Issue 3 , March 2024 , pp. 279 - 283
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of J.L.O. (1984) LIMITED

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Footnotes

Priya A Uppal takes responsibility for the integrity of the content of the paper

Presented at the American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology, Combined Otolaryngology Spring Meeting 2022, 27 April – 1 May 2022, Dallas, Texas, USA.

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