Sterile preparation of the external auditory canal with povidone-iodine.

Sterile preparation of the external auditory canal is usually not undertaken, although the external auditory canal provides surgical access for several procedures involving the tympanic membrane, middle ear, and vesibule. This is due to the rarity of postoperative wound infections, as well as difficulty in sterilizing the external auditory canal. Four antiseptic solutions commonly used for operative preparation were tested to determine thrir potential for sterilizing the external auditory canal. Povidone-iodine solution was effective in sterilizing 90% of the external auditory canals of children and adults. This simple technique may find clinical use in surgical procedures involving the external auditory canal.