Ear drainage culture

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Ear anatomy

Ear drainage culture

Medical findings based on ear anatomy

Ear drainage culture is a laboratory test to identify organisms that cause ear infections.

Culture - ear drainage

A sample of ear drainage either from the outer ear or middle ear is placed on culture media for the purpose of growing microorganisms (bacteria, fungus, or viruses) in the laboratory, which will later be identified.

The microbiologist inspects the cultures daily for growth. If microorganisms are detected, other tests may be initiated to determine the sensitivity of the organism to medications (sensitivity analysis). Antibiotic therapy can then be determined based on these results.

There is no preparation.

The specimen will be collected using a cotton swab placed gently inside the outer ear canal. No pain is associated with the test. However, ear pain may be present already if infection is suspected.

If a myringotomy (surgical opening of the eardrum) is performed for relief of a painful, bulging tympanic membrane in otitis media, fluid will be collected at this time. Rarely, a needle may be inserted through the tympanic membrane (eardrum) to obtain a sample of the fluid from the middle ear.

The test may be performed for an infection of the outer ear (see otitis externa; acute), as a routine part of myringotomy, otitis media with ruptured eardrum and draining fluid, or otitis media not responding to treatment. Most ear infections are diagnosed based on symptoms rather than by obtaining a culture.

Review Date: 02/10/2006
Reviewed By: Kenneth Wener, M.D., Division of Infectious Diseases, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.