Prevention of cerumen impaction by treatment of ear canal skin. A pilot randomized controlled study.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the effect of topical skin treatment of the ear canal in the prevention of impacted earwax.

DESIGN

The study was prospective, randomized and controlled.

SETTING

Secondary ORL care and Institute for the Mentally Retarded.

PARTICIPANTS

Thirty-nine consecutive patients aged 1-74 years. Selection criteria were impacted earwax more than once a year and impacted earwax completely obstructing the lumen of the ear canal at the time of inclusion. Patients were randomized to active therapy or no intervention. The active therapy was Ceridal lipolotion instilled in the ear canal with a syringe once a week for 12 months. In the control group, earwax was removed without other intervention. The lipolotion was administered by the participants themselves with exception of the mentally retarded who were treated by nurses. Follow-up visits were at 3 and 12 months.

MAIN OUTCOME: The main outcome was recurrence of impacted earwax with complete obstruction of the ear canal. There was significantly lower recurrence rate of impacted earwax in the treated compared with the control group (23%versus 61%, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that prophylactic treatment of the ear canal with a topical emollient may prevent formation of impacted earwax.