Optimising the use of otowicks in otitis externa

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Infectious Diseases
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Otitis externa often involves significant ear canal edema, necessitating effective treatment delivery.
• Otowicks are commonly used to facilitate topical medication delivery in otitis externa management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the penetration efficacy of ear drops through otowicks into the deep ear canal.
• To determine the safety of leaving otowicks in the ear canal for durations exceeding two days.

Main Methods:

• Mock ear canals and agar plates seeded with Pseudomonas were used to simulate otitis externa.
• Gentamicin or ciprofloxacin drops were administered to assess penetration time and efficacy against bacterial contamination.
• Penetrating drops were tested for bacterial growth on agar plates after saline or antibiotic treatment.

Main Results:

• Antibiotic drops required six administrations before achieving penetration through the otowick.
• Pseudomonas was observed to penetrate through otowicks when treated with saline.
• Antibiotic drops effectively inhibited bacterial growth in penetrating drops, indicating antimicrobial efficacy.

Conclusions:

• Continuous application of antibacterial ear drops prevents bacterial penetration through otowicks.
• Otowicks necessitate an initial priming phase with six drops to ensure complete absorption before therapeutic use.
• This study highlights the importance of proper otowick priming for effective otitis externa treatment.