IMPACTED CERUMEN AURIS MANAGEMENT: COMPARISON OF OUTCOME BETWEEN SUCTION CLEARANCE AND SYRINGING

Abstract

Background: Ear wax (Cerumenauris) is a common problem in ENT practice. The aim of this study was to
compare the outcome of suction clearance and syringing for impacted ear wax in terms of successful
cleaning and complications like pain, vertigo, tinnitus, trauma, bleeding, infection and failure at removal.
Materials and Methods: This comparative hospital based study was conducted at Department of ENT,
Mufti Mehmood Memorial Teaching Hospital, and D.I.Khan from January 2011 to June 2012. Patients of
either sex with age >10 years with symptomatic occluding earwax were included in the study. Patients with
acute otitis externa, suspected perforation of the tympanic membrane and presence of grommet were
excluded. Patients were divided into two groups of 200 each. Patients in Group 1 were managed with suction
clearance; while aural syringing was done in Group 2. The 2 groups were compared in terms of successful
cleaning and complications like pain, vertigo, tinnitus, trauma, bleeding, infection and failure at removal of
wax.

Results: Four hundred patients were included in the study; 240 male and 160 female. Mean age of the
patients was 48.32 years (range 10-80 years) and 47.08 years (range 10-80 years) in group 1 and 2
respectively.For all the variables the difference between the 2 groups in statistically non-significant except
failure (persistent wax) which is less in group 1 (p=0.003).

Conclusions: In qualified and expert hands both the procedures are equally effective for de-waxing ears.

KEYWORDS: Earwax (Cerumenauris), suction clearance, aural syringing.