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

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