Predicting failure of detection of peritonsillar abscess with ultrasound in pediatric populations.

PURPOSE: Some patients require additional imaging following ultrasound (US) to definitively diagnose a peritonsillar abscess (PTA), delaying intervention and disease resolution. We seek to evaluate patient characteristics which may predispose to a secondary imaging requirement to diagnose PTA, in order to better understand ultrasound limitations and predict who will require additional studies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective chart review of patients with an US for suspected PTA between July 2017 and July 2020. Patient age, weight, and clinical characteristics, such as pain, trismus, and reduced neck range of motion (ROM) were collected. The need for additional imaging, subsequent surgical intervention, and hospital length of stay (LOS) were also recorded. RESULTS: Of 411 qualifying patients, 73 underwent additional imaging. Patients who required additional imaging were younger (9.8 vs 11.3 years, p = 0.026) and more likely to have decreased neck ROM (17.8 vs 5.3 %, p = 0.001). Surgical intervention was performed more commonly (27.4 vs 14.8 %, p = 0.015) and hospital LOS was longer (24.0 vs 5.0 h, p < 0.001) in those with secondary imaging. CONCLUSIONS: Specific patient characteristics, such as younger age and decreased neck range of motion, are associated with a higher need for additional imaging. Additionally, the need for additional imaging is associated with a longer hospital LOS and increased likelihood of surgical intervention. Nearly 18 % of patients who underwent US evaluation of PTA required secondary imaging. Although transcervical US remains an excellent tool for diagnosing PTA, this data supports the utility of secondary imaging in certain instances.

Time considerations and outcomes in pediatric tracheostomy decannulation.

OBJECTIVE: The study objective is to identify factors that impact the time to decannulation in pediatric patients ages 0 through 18 years who are tracheostomy-dependent. METHODS: This retrospective chart review from January 1, 2005 through December 31, 2020 identified pediatric tracheostomy patients at a single pediatric institution. Data extracted included demographic, socioeconomic factors, and clinical characteristics. Multivariate regression and survival analysis were used to identify factors associated with successful decannulation and decreased time with tracheostomy. RESULTS: Of the 479 tracheostomy-dependent patients identified, 162 (33.8%) were decannulated. Time to decannulation ranged from 0.5 months to 189.2 months with median of 24 months (IQR 12.91-45.71). In the multivariate analysis, patients with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (p = 0.021) and those with Passy-Muir® Valve at discharge (p = 0.015) were significantly associated with decannulation. In contrast, neurologic comorbidities (p = 0.06), presence of gastrostomy tube (p < 0.001), or discharged on a home ventilator (p < 0.001) were associated with indefinite tracheostomy. When adjusting for age, sex, race, ethnicity, and insurance status, for every one month delay in establishment of outpatient otolaryngology care, time to decannulation was delayed by 0.5 months (p = 0.010). For each additional outpatient otolaryngology follow-up visit, time to decannulation increased by 3.36 months (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Decannulation in pediatric tracheostomy patients is multifactorial. While timely establishment of outpatient care did correlate with quicker decannulation, factors related to medical complexity may have a greater impact on time to decannulation. Our results can help guide institutional decannulation protocols, as well as provide guidance when counseling families regarding tracheostomy expectations.

Decannulation in Revision Pediatric Laryngotracheal Reconstruction.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate how patient characteristics and surgical techniques influence the rate of and time to decannulation after pediatric revision laryngotracheal reconstruction. METHODS: The study was a retrospective cohort investigation of children with a history of laryngotracheal stenosis treated between 2008 and 2021 with revision open airway surgery. The primary outcome evaluated was decannulation. The secondary outcome analyzed was time to decannulation. RESULTS: Thirty-nine children were included in the study with median age 49 months; 61.5% were male. Children undergoing single stage revision surgery were far more likely to be decannulated (OR 6.25, 95% CI 1.33-45.97, p = 0.0343). Rolling logistic regression of the probability of decannulation stratified by time between open surgeries demonstrated significantly decreased chance of decannulation with reoperation within 6 months. Children managed with anterior/posterior grafting compared with a single graft were observed to have an increased time to decannulation, (HR 0.365, 95% CI 0.148-0.899, p = 0.005, Log-Rank). CONCLUSION: We observe that in the case of revision pediatric open airway surgery, chance of decannulation is improved when surgery is performed in a single stage as well as 6 months after the most recent procedure. Patients and families should be counseled that complex stenosis requiring double stage procedures or anterior/posterior grafting is associated with a decreased probability of decannulation and increased postoperative time with a tracheostomy, respectively. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 Laryngoscope, 134:1926-1932, 2024.

Socioeconomic Disparities and Other Factors Affecting Time to Dispensing of Pediatric Hearing Aids.

INTRODUCTION: Pediatric hearing loss can significantly impact speech, language, social, and educational development. Providing access to speech and environmental sounds using amplification devices, such as hearing aids, can help improve developmental outcomes. However, timely rehabilitation and intervention may be delayed due to limited access to resources, further prolonging the adverse effects of childhood hearing loss. The aim of this study was to investigate socioeconomic barriers in time to dispensing hearing aids in a diverse pediatric patient population. METHODS: Data from an existing internal database from a tertiary pediatric hospital were analyzed from January 2020 through August 2022 for barriers associated with hearing aid (HA) dispensing delays. Demographic and clinical characteristics were obtained. Multivariate regression and survival analysis statistics were used to identify factors associated with delayed time to dispensing hearing aids. RESULTS: Of the 121 patients who had been appropriately diagnosed and fit, 108 (89.3%) had received hearings aids and 13 (10.7%) had not at the time of the study. Of those who had received HA, time to dispensing was not significantly impacted by sex, race, ethnicity, language, or income level. Insurance was found to be an influencing factor in time to receiving the HA. CONCLUSION: Factors such as insurance and hearing loss laterality contribute to delays in receiving hearing aids. Identifying these specific barriers and disparities in hearing rehabilitation services will prove vital in facilitating an expedited and equitable pathway to receiving hearing aids. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3 Laryngoscope, 2024.

Evaluation of Cochlear Implantation in Children With Cochlear Nerve Absence or Deficiency.

OBJECTIVE: To identify associations between cochleovestibular anatomy findings and hearing outcomes found in children with imaging evidence of an absent or hypoplastic cochlear nerve treated with cochlear implantation (CI). STUDY DESIGN: retrospective review. SETTING: Cochlear implant program at tertiary care center. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed to identify children with imaging evidence of cochlear nerve absence or deficiency who underwent CI evaluation. High-resolution 3-dimensional T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in the oblique sagittal and axial planes were reviewed by a neuroradiologist to identify cochleovestibular anatomy. Hearing was assessed pre and postoperatively with Speech Perception Category scores. RESULTS: Seven CI recipients were identified (n = 10 ears) who had bilateral severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss with lack of auditory development with binaural hearing aid trial and imaging evidence of cochlear nerve aplasia/hypoplasia. All ears had 2 nerves in the cerebellopontine angle (100%, n = 10), half of the ears had evidence of 2 or less nerves in the internal auditory canal (IAC). All children showed large improvement in speech perception after CI. CONCLUSION: Our experience with CIs for children with absent or hypoplastic cochlear nerves demonstrates that CI can be a viable option in select patients who satisfy preoperative audiological criteria. Radiological identification of a hypoplastic or aplastic cochlear nerve does not preclude auditory innervation of the cochlea. CI recipients in this subgroup must be counseled on difficulty in predicting postimplantation language and speech outcomes, and cautioned about facial nerve stimulation.

Evaluation of Noise Exposure Levels in Pediatric ENT Operating Rooms.

OBJECTIVE: Operating room (OR) sounds may surpass noise exposure thresholds and induce hearing loss. Noise intensity emitted by various surgical instruments during common pediatric otolaryngologic procedures were compared at the ear-level of the surgeon and patient to evaluate the need for quality improvement measures. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Single tertiary care center. METHODS: Noise levels were measured using the RISEPRO Sound Level Meter and SoundMeter X 10.0.4 at the ear level of surgeon and patient every 5 minutes. Operative procedure and instrument type were recorded. Measured noise levels were compared against ambient noise levels and the Apple Watch Noise application. RESULTS: Two hundred forty-two total occasions of noise were recorded across 62 surgical cases. Cochlear implantation surgery produces the loudest case at the ear-level of the patient (91.8 Lq Peak dB; P < .001). The otologic drill was the loudest instrument for the patient (92.1 Lq Peak dB; P < .001), while the powered microdebrider was the loudest instrument for the surgeon (90.7 Lq Peak dB; P = .036). Noise measurements between surgeon and patient were similar (P < .05). Overall agreement between the Noise application and Sound Level Meter was excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.8, with a 95% confidence interval ranging from 0.32 to 0.92). CONCLUSION: Otolaryngology OR noises can surpass normal safe thresholds. Failure to be aware of this may unwittingly expose providers to noise-related hearing loss. Mitigation strategies should be employed. Quality improvement measures, including attention to surgical instrument volume settings and periodic decibel measurements with sound applications, can promote long-term hearing conservation. DISCUSSION: Otolaryngology OR noises can surpass normal safe thresholds. Failure to be aware of this may unwittingly expose providers to noise-related hearing loss. The duration, frequency of exposure, and volume levels of noise should be studied further. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Mitigation strategies should be employed. Quality improvement measures, including attention to surgical instrument volume settings and periodic decibel measurements with sound applications, can promote long-term hearing conservation.

Trends in Natural Decannulation in Patients with Robin Sequence: A Twenty-five Year Retrospective Review.

OBJECTIVE: Robin sequence (RS) consists of micrognathia and glossoptosis that result in upper airway obstruction (UAO). In RS patients who undergo tracheostomy, long-term goals include natural decannulation (ND) without further surgical airway intervention. The objective of this study was to identify long-term trends in the rate and length of time to ND. METHODS: Retrospective chart review on 144 patients with RS treated from 1995 to 2020 at a pediatric tertiary care center. Patients were grouped by year of tracheostomy. Demographic data, UAO management, postoperative care, complications, and time to decannulation were recorded. RESULTS: Thirty-six patients met the inclusion criteria. Tracheostomy was performed at a median age of 45.5 days. 19 (53%) patients experienced ND at a median time of 66.1 months. ND rate was higher in non-syndromic patients (93% non-syndromic vs 27% syndromic; P < .0001) and during the first study period (1995-2006: 78%, 2007-2020: 28%; P = .003). Cox proportional-hazard regression demonstrated that white race [aHR 0.15 (0.03-0.8); P = .023] and higher birthweight [aHR 0.9 (0.8-0.98); P = .018] were associated with a higher likelihood of ND while a syndromic diagnosis had a negative association with ND [aHR 12.5 (3.3-50.0); P < .001]. CONCLUSIONS: Our study documented that ND in patients with RS who underwent tracheostomy was significantly associated with ethnicity, birthweight, and syndromic status. The negative impact on successful ND was most observed in patients with syndromic associations. Additionally, ND rates are lower in the 2007 to 2020 subgroup. We suspect this is because alternative management techniques such as tongue lip adhesion and mandibular distraction osteogenesis became primary surgical treatment in severe RS upper airway obstruction at our institution starting in 2007.

Impact of upper airway obstruction management in Robin Sequence on need for myringotomy tubes.

OBJECTIVE: Investigate an association between upper airway obstruction (UAO) management in Robin Sequence (RS) and need for bilateral myringotomy and tubes (BMT). METHODS: Retrospective chart review of RS patients treated at a tertiary free-standing pediatric hospital from 1995 to 2020 was performed. Patients were grouped based on airway management: conservative, tracheostomy, tongue-lip adhesion (TLA), and mandibular distraction osteogenesis (MDO). Demographic data, cleft palate (CP) association, numbers of BMT and ear infections, and audiogram data including tympanograms were collected. One-way ANOVA and Chi-square/Fisher's exact tests were used to compare continuous and categorical data, respectively. Multivariable regression analysis was used to compare BMT rates between treatment groups. RESULTS: One hundred forty-eight patients were included, 70.3 % of which had CP. Most patients (67.6 %) had at least one BMT; 29.1 % required two or more BMT. The rate of BMT was higher in patients with CP compared to those with intact palates (p = 0.003; 95 % CI 1.30-3.57) and those treated with tracheostomy (p = 0.043; 95 % CI 1.01, 2.27). Surgically managed patients were more likely to have hearing loss (67.5 % vs. 35.3 %, p = 0.017) and ear infections (42.1 % vs. 20.0 %, p = 0.014) pre-compared to post-procedure for airway management. CONCLUSION: Most RS patients require at least 1 set of BMT. Those with CP and/or treated with tracheostomy had a higher likelihood of needing BMT. Rate of hearing loss and ear infection was higher in surgically managed RS patients. Patients with RS and overt CP require a statistically higher number of BMTs compared to those with either submucous cleft palate or intact palate.

Factors associated with tracheostomy decannulation in infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

OBJECTIVE: Premature infants represent a unique subset of patients who may require tracheostomy. Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is among one of the most common sequelae of prematurity contributing to the need for prolonged ventilation requiring tracheostomy after other airway options have been exhausted. Our objective is to understand socioeconomic barriers to decannulation and identify factors that accelerate safe decannulation, focusing on patients with BPD. METHODS: An existing internal database from a tertiary pediatric hospital of patients undergoing tracheostomy prior to one year old was reviewed. Data from January 1, 2005 through December 31, 2020 was used to compare patients who were successfully decannulated to those who were not. A further subset of infants with BPD were identified and analyzed. Of those decannulated, survival analysis was used to identify factors associated with decreased time to decannulation. RESULTS: We identified 303 infants who underwent tracheostomy at less than one year old with 125 of those infants having a diagnosis of BPD. Of the 125 infants with BPD, 44 (35.2 %) were decannulated and 81 (64.8 %) were not. There was no significant difference in sex, race, ethnicity, insurance status, comorbidities, or presence of syndromes between those patients with BPD who were decannulated and those who were not. Those who were not decannulated had a significantly longer length of hospital stay, prolonged ventilator requirements after tracheostomy, and were more likely to be discharged home on the ventilator (p = 0.030; 0.020; 0.002, respectively). Of the 44 decannulated patients, mean and median time to decannulation were 37.9 and 27.8 months respectively (range 10.8-160.6 months). There was an inverse association with decannulation and both Black race (HR: 0.30) and neurological comorbidity (HR: 0.37) on multivariate analysis. Black race, presence of syndrome, and length of ventilator dependence were significantly associated with increased time to decannulation. Time to decannulation from time off the ventilator was not significantly influenced by sex, race, ethnicity, state of residence, or insurance status, but was significantly influenced by age (95 % CI: -6.9, -0.1; P = 0.044). While time from discharge to first follow up visit did not significantly impact time to decannulation, every additional follow up visit increased time to decannulation by 3.78 months when adjusting for confounding variables. CONCLUSION: In infants with BPD under one year requiring tracheostomy, socioeconomic factors were not found to influence likelihood of decannulation, however Black race, presence of underlying syndrome, and increased length of ventilator dependence were associated with prolonged timing. Children with more frequent follow up visits similarly had an increased time to decannulation, illustrating a vital point in the process. Ventilator weaning protocols and standardized decannulation protocols in patients with BPD, along with caregiver education, can safely expedite and facilitate decannulation.

Systematic Review of Slide Tracheoplasty Outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To identify factors predicting success in slide tracheoplasty surgery at a regional children's hospital and compare with available published literature. MEASURES: Retrospective chart review comparing demographics (age, weight) and clinical (operative and hospital course, need for additional airway intervention) factors experienced with slide tracheoplasty. Findings were compared with a systematic review of published literature. RESULTS: Of the 16 tracheal stenosis patients in our cohort, 13 (81.3%) presented with an additional congenital or cardiovascular anomaly. When adjusted for cardiovascular anomalies, congenital tracheal stenosis patients had a mean age of 5.2 months (range 6 days-17 months), mean weight of 5.04 kg, and average ICU and hospital length of stay of 31.5 and 36.0 days, respectively. Tracheostomy was required for 4 patients and no early deaths were recorded. Of the 391 children in the grouped cohort, mean age and weight was older at 7.67 months and larger at 5.70 kg. Length of stay in both ICU and overall hospital course was 31.6 and 43.5 days, respectively. Mortality etiology for 44 patients was reported: 17 (38.6%) cardiac-related and 28 (63.6%) late mortalities. Our overall calculated mortality risk of 1.26 (P < .05) was lower than reported ratios of 2.0+. CONCLUSION: Despite the numerous institutional studies involving tracheal stenosis, mortality and surgical challenges remain high. Future studies with the inclusion of specific perioperative data can prove to further evaluate correlations between presentation characteristics and mortality.

Confirmatory Auditory Brainstem Responses Testing Results in Discordant Outcomes: Implications for Timely Care.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to evaluate for discrepancies in diagnostic auditory brainstem responses (ABR) between Children's National Hospital (CNH), a pediatric medical center, and outside facilities (OSF) that referred patients to CNH for confirmatory evaluation. Such discrepancies impact early hearing detection and intervention (EHDI) timelines. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted from an internal database of patients who underwent diagnostic ABR from 2017 to 2021. Only patients with ABR results from both CNH and OSF were analyzed. Demographic data, external and internal test results, and intervention data were obtained. Hearing loss (HL) severity was graded on a scale of 0 to 8, where 0 indicated normal hearing and 8 indicated profound. Each ear was analyzed separately. RESULTS: Forty-nine patients met the inclusion criteria, and each ear was evaluated separately. Median HL severity was 1.0 [0.0, 4.3] at CNH compared to 3.0 [1.8, 6] at OSF (p = 0.004). Forty-seven ears (48.0%) showed lower severity at CNH. Twenty-seven patients (55%) received hearing amplification devices. The median age at time of hearing intervention was 220 days. CONCLUSION: Our results showed statistical significance in the median severity of HL between CNH and OSF. A substantial proportion (70%) of children in our dataset who received amplification via cochlear implant or hearing aids were shown to have discrepancies in ABR findings from CNH and OSF. These findings have implications with regards to the appropriate usage of health care resources and maintaining EDHI timelines. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 (Retrospective Cohort Study) Laryngoscope, 133:3571-3574, 2023.

Deep Learning for Predictive Analysis of Pediatric Otolaryngology Personal Statements: A Pilot Study.

OBJECTIVE: The personal statement is often an underutilized aspect of pediatric otolaryngology fellowship applications. In this pilot study, we use deep learning language models to cluster personal statements and elucidate their relationship to applicant rank position and postfellowship research output. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort. SETTING: Single pediatric tertiary care center. METHODS: Data and personal statements from 115 applicants to our fellowship program were retrieved from San Francisco Match. BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations From Transformers) was used to generate document embeddings for clustering. Regression and machine learning models were used to assess the relationship of personal statements to number of postfellowship publications per year when controlling for publications, board scores, Alpha Omega Alpha status, gender, and residency. RESULTS: Document embeddings of personal statements were found to cluster into 4 distinct groups by K-means clustering: 2 focused on "training/research" and 2 on "personal/patient anecdotes." Training clusters 1 and 2 were associated with an applicant-organization fit by a single pediatric otolaryngology fellowship program on univariate but not multivariate analysis. Models utilizing document embeddings alone were able to equally predict applicant-organization fit (receiver operating characteristic areas under the curve, 0.763 and 0.750 vs 0.419; P values >.05) as compared with models utilizing applicant characteristics and personal statement clusters alone. All predictive models were poor predictors of postfellowship publications per year. CONCLUSION: We demonstrate ability for document embeddings to capture meaningful information in personal statements from pediatric otolaryngology fellowship applicants. A larger study can further differentiate personal statement clusters and assess the predictive potential of document embeddings.

Barriers to Pediatric Osseointegrated Bone-Conduction Hearing Devices.

OBJECTIVE: To identify social, demographic, and clinical barriers for implantation with Osseointegrated Bone Conduction Devices (OBCD) in pediatric candidates. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study of 94 children who met standard OBCD implantation criteria. SETTING: Tertiary stand-alone children's hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective chart review comparing demographic (age, race, state of residence, and insurance) and clinical (severity and etiology of hearing loss, medical comorbidities, and early intervention) factors impacting implantation. Members of the existing cohort were then contacted to obtain a better understanding of qualitative factors impacting surgical decision. RESULTS: Of the identified 94 surgical candidates, 47 (50%) underwent OBCD implantation. State of residence significantly impacted implantation rates, with children from the District of Columbia and Virginia being less likely to receive an implant than those from Maryland. Private insurance, race, and ethnicity did not impact rate of implantation (OR 2.8 [95% CI 0.78-10]; 1.34 [95% CI 0.44-3.68]; and 1.0 [95% CI 0.42-2.43], respectively). Children with anotia or microtia and children younger than 10 years old were less likely to have an implant (OR 10.6 (95% CI 1.74-65). Thirty-nine children participated in the qualitative portion. Themes that emerged as reasons to forgo implantation included a child's young age, planned reconstruction for microtia or atresia, and overall device functionality and usage. Thirtyseven children (39%) of the cohort declined surgery and currently wear a nonsurgical bone conduction aid regularly. CONCLUSION: Despite known benefits of implantation, only one-half of children who were candidates underwent OBCD. Unlike cochlear implantation, where insurance status is a major risk factor for implantation delay and underperformance, for OBCD, implantation barriers appear to be more multifactorial and include medical, demographic, and social factors.

Socioeconomic factors associated with readmission following pediatric tonsillectomy.

OBJECTIVES: We aim to analyze factors associated with readmission after tonsillectomy to understand socioeconomic factors associated with readmission. METHODS: Single institution retrospective study of pediatric patients undergoing tonsillectomy over an 8 year study period, comparing patients who required readmission for bleeding concerns or pain/dehydration to those who did not require readmission. RESULTS: Of the 14,152 tonsillectomy patients, 508 (3.6%) were readmitted with 423 (83.3%) for bleeding concerns and 85 (16.7%) for pain or dehydration. Overall readmission was more likely in age >6 years (OR: 1.61, 95% CI: 1.34-1.92, P < 0.001), while poverty level below 10% (OR: 0.79, 95% CI: 0.66-0.94, P = 0.008) and parental college education above 25% (OR: 0.79, 95% CI: 0.65-0.96, P = 0.016) were associated with lower incidence of overall readmission. For patients readmitted for bleeding concerns, age >6 years (OR 1.66, 95% CI: 1.37-2.02, P < 0.001) was associated with readmission on multivariate analysis. Within the pain/dehydration group, African American race was associated with increased readmission rates, while poverty level below 10% and parental college education above 25% were associated with decreased readmission rates. CONCLUSION: Socioeconomic factors and age play a role in readmission rates following pediatric tonsillectomy.

Barriers to Decannulation After Double-Stage Laryngotracheal Reconstruction.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: To identify any potential barriers for decannulation in children undergoing double-staged laryngotracheal reconstruction (dsLTR) beyond the severity of disease itself. STUDY DESIGN: Case series with chart review. METHODS: We performed a retrospective chart review from 2008 to 2018 of 41 children who had undergone dsLTR as primary treatment for laryngotracheal stenosis at a stand-alone tertiary children's hospital. We examined the effect of demographic, medical, and surgical factors on successful decannulation and time to decannulation after dsLTR. RESULTS: Of the 41 children meeting inclusion criteria who underwent dsLTR, 34 (82%) were decannulated. Age, gender, race, insurance status, medical comorbidity, and multilevel stenosis did not predict overall decannulation. Insurance status did not impact time to decannulation (P = .13, Log-rank). Factors that increased length of time to decannulation were the use of anterior and posterior cartilage grafts (P = .001, Log-rank), history of pulmonary disease (P = .05, Log rank), history of cardiac disease (P = .017, Log-rank), and race/ethnicity (P = .001 Log-rank). CONCLUSION: In a cohort with a similar decannulation rates to previous dsLTR cohorts, we identified no demographic or medical factors that influenced overall decannulation. We did observe that pulmonary comorbidity, cardiac comorbidity, and race/ethnicity lengthens time to decannulation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 Laryngoscope, 131:2141-2147, 2021.

Impact of the novel coronavirus on surgical practices at a tertiary pediatric hospital: A 3 year cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) forced unprecedented changes in pediatric otolaryngology workflow in the early pandemic, particularly due to the postponement of elective procedures. In turn, this has impacted timely treatment of patients and ability to train residents and fellows. The objective is to characterize how surgical practices in pediatric otolaryngology have been impacted by the pandemic through a cross sectional analysis over three years. METHODS: This cross-sectional study focuses on patients who underwent surgical procedures within the department of otolaryngology at a single tertiary pediatric hospital. Descriptive statistical analysis was used to compare subsets of patients from pre-pandemic in 2019, early-pandemic in 2020, and late-pandemic in 2021. RESULTS: Operative volume decreased by 87.57% in the early pandemic and 36.86% in the late pandemic. In the early pandemic, the greatest decreases were seen in airway reconstruction (100%), adenotonsillectomy (96.4%), adenoidectomy (94.7%), myringotomy with tympanostomy tube insertion (94.6%), frenulectomy (94.1%), and sinonasal procedures (93.3%), while in the late-pandemic adenotonsillectomy (42.4%) and myringotomy with tympanostomy tube insertion (70.1%) remained reduced when compared to pre-pandemic volume. Increased average case lengths in the early-pandemic (78.28 ± 51.95 min) and late-pandemic (71.91 ± 70.76 min) were observed when compared to pre-pandemic (52.26 ± 39.20 min) (p < 0.001). An increased proportion of multidisciplinary cases were completed in 2020 and 2021 (p < 0.001). In the 2020, 25% of cases were completed without trainee involvement. There was an overall decrease in case numbers for trainees and increase in cases without their involvement when compared to 2019 and 2021. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a decrease in pediatric otolaryngology surgical procedures, particularly at the onset of the pandemic. While surgical trainees saw a dramatic reduction in case numbers early on, one year into the pandemic case volume is increasing and trending to pre-pandemic numbers. More complex cases, as represented by patients requiring longer operative times, inpatient status, and more frequently multidisciplinary care, were seen in the early pandemic, while drastic reductions were seen in routine outpatient procedures.