No risks are involved with swabbing the ear canal. Risks of myringotomy and needle aspiration include bleeding, infection, and hearing loss.
Special considerations:
Sometimes special stains of the fluid, such as a Gram stain or KOH stain, are done to help with the initial diagnosis.
Review Date: 2/10/2006
Reviewed By: Kenneth Wener, M.D., Division of Infectious Diseases, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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