AN ALTERNATIVE TO REGULAR DRESSINGS FOR OTITIS-EXTERNA AND CHRONIC SUPPERATIVE OTITIS-MEDIA

Otitis externa and chronic otitis media often present to the otolaryng ologist with a discharging ear. The conventional method of treatment i s to perform regular aural toilet and insert medicated dressings into the external auditory canal. This treatment is either performed by tra ined nurses or medical staff, but in either case is time consuming. Th is study compares the efficacy of the above standard regimen with a no vel treatment where a single aural toilet is carried out and medicated ointment instilled into the ear. Both regimens were evaluated at thre e weeks. Our results shows that there was no significant difference be tween the two treatment regimens with regard to the resolution of eith er of the conditions studied or the improvement in the symptom status of the patients. On the basis of this it would seem that a single aura l toilet and instillation of medicated ointment is a valid treatment o ption, cuts down hospital attendance and could be performed in the com munity by general medical practitioners or trained practice nurses.