Decreased paediatric myringotomy and insertion of ventilation tube rates during Covid 2019 pandemic
Reviewed by Madhup K Chaurasia

This study involves a province in Canada and claims that the need for paediatric myringotomy and insertion of grommets reduced to a third with public health measures aimed at reducing transmission of respiratory viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, in the Covid-19 pandemic. In the five years leading up to the pandemic, the numbers for this procedure ranged from 695 to 1023 but in the first year of the pandemic this was only 695. Also, the monthly average number of this procedure in the first year of the pandemic was only a third in the comparative month of the preceding year. To validate this study, the authors used comparators, namely cataract, arthroplasty and thyroidectomy surgery, in the same time periods. There was no decrease in cataract surgery and arthroplasty which also are elective procedures. This excluded the factor of reluctance or inability to access care as being a possible cause for reduced myringotomy rates. Neither could this be related to shortage of providers as in this period, their numbers were in fact, enhanced. Thyroidectomies increased in the same period because of more thyroid surgeons coming to the province and this being one of the few procedures allowed to be booked during the pandemic. Medical billing database was used as it was judged the most accurate and accessible source of case count. The study emphasises the relevance of masking, staying home and hand hygiene when symptoms arise and, in fact, applies to all times.

Effect of coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on paediatric bilateral myringotomy and tube insertion rates in New Brunswick, Canada.
Hathi K, Chin CJ, Hoyt BJA.
J LARYNGOL OTOL
2023;137(12):1389–94.