Impact of effective health care bulletin on treatment of persistent glue ear in children: time series analysis

Mason, JM; Freemantle, N; Browning, G

doi:10.1136/bmj.323.7321.1096

Impact of effective health care bulletin on treatment of persistent glue ear in children: time series analysis

Mason, JM; Freemantle, N; Browning, G

Authors

JM Mason

N Freemantle

G Browning

Abstract

During the 1980s, surgery for chronic otitis media with effusion (glue ear) increased greatly without obvious reason.1 "Dry taps"absence of effusion upon incisionwere common, probably because the surgery was performed without the surgeon confirming that the condition had not already resolved.2 An Effective Health Care bulletin on the treatment of persistent glue ear in children was distributed nationally to NHS decision makers in 1992.2 Based on systematic review, the bulletin concluded that surgery should be restricted to children with an extended period of substantial hearing impairment, with persistence and severity established by watchful waiting. We evaluated surgery rates before and after distribution of the bulletin.

Citation

Mason, J., Freemantle, N., & Browning, G. (2001). Impact of effective health care bulletin on treatment of persistent glue ear in children: time series analysis. eBMJ (London), 323(7321), 1096-1097. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.323.7321.1096

Journal Article Type	Article
Publication Date	Nov 1, 2001
Deposit Date	May 9, 2007
Publicly Available Date	Nov 10, 2009
Journal	British medical journal (Clinical research edition)
Electronic ISSN	1468-5833
Publisher	BMJ Publishing Group
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	323
Issue	7321
Pages	1096-1097
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.323.7321.1096