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Ear Wound Culture

Collection and Handling

Microbiology Specimen Collection Procedure

Wound and Tissue Culture Specimens

Ear Specimens

Last Updated: 03/15/2012

 

Wound/ Tissue Type

 Transport device Comments

Ear Specimens

Inner ear

port-a-cul vial or eSwab

 Tympanocentesis reserved for complicated, recurrent or chronic persistent otitis media
 

Collection:
1. For intact ear drum, clean ear canal with soap solution and collect fluid via syringe aspiration
   technique
2. For ruptured ear drum, collect fluid on flexible shaft swab via an auditory speculum

Outer ear

culturette

 For otitis external, vigorous swabbing is required since surface swabbing may miss streptococcal cellulitis
 

Collection:
1. Use moistened swab to remove debris or crust form ear canal.
2. Obtain sample by firmly rotating swab in ear canal.

 

 

General Considerations

 

  1. An order for wound culture normally includes:
    1. An Aerobic Culture
    2. A Gram Stain if adequate specimen is submitted (2 swabs, eswabs or specimen in sterile container)
    3. An Anaerobic Culture if:
      1. a portion of specimen is submitted in an anaerobic transport container: A.C.T. II Dual, eswab or red top tube
      2. the source is appropriate