Types Of Cerumen - Welch Allyn 29350 Operating Instructions Manual

Types of Cerumen

Cerumen is the natural by-product of the ear canal. It lubricates the skin
lining in the ear canal, acts as a water repellent, and entraps dust, hair fol-
licles, and foreign bodies. Cerumen can take many different forms which
affect the process and time to remove. There are generally two different
types of cerumen found in the ear canal: dry and wet. The following are
subtypes of cerumen that you will commonly encounter and how they
may affect the irrigation procedure.
White/Flaky Cerumen
This form of cerumen will easily dissolve in the irrigation water. The irriga-
tion procedure is relatively short, and a cerumenolytic agent is not always
necessary. Often you will not see solids trapped in the ear tip with this
form of cerumen; rather, you will see some of the dissolved cerumen
trapped in the ear tip screen. The rest of the dissolved cerumen will leave
through the exit port of the chamber.
Light Brown/"Jelly-Like" Cerumen
This cerumen resembles the consistency of petroleum jelly and does not
completely dissolve in the irrigation water. Some solids may be present in
the ear tip, and the procedure time is slightly longer than for the white/
flaky variety. A cerumenolytic agent is recommended to shorten the time
of irrigation.
Dark/Hard Cerumen
This cerumen is often found lining the walls of the canal and forms a plug
in the patient that can cause significant hearing loss. Large solids of ceru-
men are seen trapped in the ear tip and the procedure time is often
longer than the wet/"jelly-like" cerumen. A cerumenolytic agent is often
necessary to shorten the time of irrigation.
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