A RANDOMIZED PROSPECTIVE TRIAL TO COMPARE 4 DIFFERENT EAR PACKS FOLLOWING PERMEATAL MIDDLE-EAR SURGERY

Surgeons choice of an ear pack is dictated by availability, previous t raining and personal preference. There has been no recent prospective study evaluating the use of different types of ear packs. This randomi zed prospective study compares the use of BIPP impregnated ribbon gauz e (Aurum), Pope wicks (Xomed-Teace), silastic sheeting (Dow Coming) an d tri-adcortyl ointment (Squibb) as an ear dressing following 'clear' middle ear procedures via a permeatal approach. The results showed tha t there was no statistically significant difference in post-operative pain and discomfort experienced, neither was there any significant dif ference regarding the otolaryngologist's assessment of the degree of c anal granulation, stenosis or discharge with the above named packs. Th is study concludes that non-traditional dressings such as tri-adcortyl ointment or simply a thin silastic sheet placed on the drum are no wo rse than time honoured BIPP. They have, as well, the advantage of bein g well-tolerated by the patients.