Clinical Practice Guideline (Update): Earwax (Cerumen Impaction) Executive Summary

Seth R Schwartz; Anthony E Magit; Richard M Rosenfeld; Bopanna B Ballachanda; Jesse M Hackell; Helene J Krouse; Claire M Lawlor; Kenneth Lin; Kourosh Parham; David R Stutz; Sandy Walsh; Erika A Woodson; Ken Yanagisawa; Eugene R Cunningham Jr

doi:10.1177/0194599816678832

Clinical Practice Guideline (Update): Earwax (Cerumen Impaction) Executive Summary

Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2017 Jan;156(1):14-29. doi: 10.1177/0194599816678832.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ 1 Department of Otolaryngology, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington, USA.
² 2 Division of Otolaryngology, Childrens Hospital of San Diego, San Diego, California, USA.
³ 3 Department of Otolaryngology, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, USA.
⁴ 4 Premier Hearing Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.
⁵ 5 Pomona Pediatrics, Pomona, New York, USA.
⁶ 6 College of Nursing, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
⁷ 7 Department of Otolaryngology, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
⁸ 8 Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
⁹ 9 Division of Otolaryngology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut, USA.
¹⁰ 10 University of Michigan Health System, East Ann Arbor Health Care Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
¹¹ 11 Consumers United for Evidence-based Healthcare, Davis, California, USA.
¹² 12 Cleveland Clinic Head and Neck Institute, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
¹³ 13 Yale New Haven Hospital, Southern New England Ear Nose Throat & Facial Plastic Surgery Group, LLP, New Haven, Connecticut.
¹⁴ 14 AAO-HNSF, Alexandria, Virginia, USA.

PMID: 28045632
DOI: 10.1177/0194599816678832

Abstract

The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) has published a supplement to this issue of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery featuring the updated Clinical Practice Guideline: Earwax (Cerumen Impaction). To assist in implementing the guideline recommendations, this article summarizes the rationale, purpose, and key action statements. The 11 recommendations emphasize proper ear hygiene, diagnosis of cerumen impaction, factors that modify management, evaluating the need for intervention, and proper treatment. An updated guideline is needed due to new evidence (3 guidelines, 5 systematic reviews, and 6 randomized controlled trials) and the need to add statements on managing cerumen impaction that focus on primary prevention, contraindicated intervention, and referral and coordination of care.

Keywords: cerumen; clinical practice guideline; ear candling; ear coning; earwax; impaction.

MeSH terms

Cerumen*
Ear Diseases / diagnosis
Ear Diseases / etiology*
Ear Diseases / therapy*
Humans
Practice Guidelines as Topic