Muhammad Rafique, Iqbal Hussain Udaipurwala, Ehsan-ul haq.
Suction Cleaning of the External Auditory Canal in Otomycosis: Is it Really Helpful?.
J Liaquat Uni Med Health Sci Jan ;13(02):97-100.

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted with the objective to find out whether suction cleaning of the external auditory canal in cases of otomycosisis helpful or not. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, randomized comparative study PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: This multi-center study conducted at the departments of ENT, head & neck surgery of Liaquat University Hospital, Hyderabad, Sheikh Zayed Hospital, Rahim Yar Khan and Zubaida Medical Centre, Karachi. The study was conducted from March 2013 to February 2014 for a period of one year. PATIENT AND METHODS: A total of 200 patients were included in this study. These patients were serially divided into two groups A and B. Both groups received topical antifungal solution of 1% clotrimazole, 3 to 4 drops three time per day..In group A at the time of first consultation suction cleaning of the fungal debris was also done while in group B only above mentioned treatment was given without suction cleaning of the external auditory canal. All these patients were followed up regularly till the complete resolution of the disease. RESULTS: The minimum time duration for group A was 5 days and for group B was 9 days. The maximum time duration for group A was 18 days while for group B was 23 days. The mean time duration for complete resolution in group A was 9.6 days while in group B was 15.2 days (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Suction cleaning of the external auditory canal for removal of fungal debris is very helpful and it reduces the time duration for complete resolution. So it should be performed in every patient of otomycosis to remove fungal debris.

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