[Bacteriological and clinical notes on otitis externa in saturation. Double-blind study on the efficacy of...

Microbiological analysis of the variation in the bacterial flora of the external auditory canal was carried out during 39 immersion in saturated solutions. A double blind test on the usefulness of prophylactic and therapeutic preparations was also carried out. Prophylactics. - 5% Al acetate in H2O (P1), Boric alcohol (P2), lactic acid in H2O (P3, Domeboro (P4), no prophylactic (P0). After the immersions, a significant increase in Pseudomonas Aeruginosa and Candida Albicans (p less than 0,01) was noted in the auricular bacterial flora. Gram positive bacteria in general were considerably reduced (p less than 0,01). Gram negative bacteria other than pseudomonas. A (p less than 0,3) and coagulase negative straphylococci (p less than 0,03) did not vary significantly. Prophylactic preparations P1 and P2 were shown to be significantly more effective than P3, P4 and P0 in preventing the symptomatology (p less than 0,01). The most effective therapeutic preparation was found to be a locally applied gentamycinpolymixin association.