Ear-canal lavage for curing noninvasive otomycosis: A randomized controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Mycology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Otomycosis, a fungal infection of the external auditory canal, can be a persistent condition.
• Symptoms of otomycosis, such as pruritus and pain, can be nonspecific, requiring clinical vigilance for diagnosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the treatment efficacy of ear canal lavage for otomycosis.
• To compare ear canal lavage with or without local drug treatment in managing fungal ear infections.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled cohort study was conducted with 102 patients diagnosed with otomycosis.
• Patients were divided into two groups: ear canal irrigation and irrigation plus local drug treatment.
• Follow-up was conducted monthly for three months to assess treatment outcomes.

Main Results:

• Aspergillus was the most common pathogen (84.69%) identified in otomycosis cases.
• Both treatment groups showed high initial cure rates: 92.30% for lavage alone and 96.00% for lavage plus local drugs.
• No statistically significant difference in treatment efficiency was observed between the two groups (P=0.258).

Conclusions:

• Ear canal lavage and local antifungal therapies are effective in treating otomycosis.
• Sequential treatment combining ear canal rinses and topical antifungal agents is a reasonable therapeutic approach.
• Clinicians should maintain vigilance for otomycosis due to potentially nonspecific or minor presenting symptoms.