title: Earigate™ for softening ear wax: is it safe when the eardrum is perforated?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the safety of Earigate™ as an ear wax softening product.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, controlled animal study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Bilateral wide myringotomies were performed in eleven chinchillas. In each animal, Earigate™ was delivered to a randomly selected experimental ear canal as 2 puffs twice a day. Auditory brainstem response (ABR) was used to assess the hearing of the animals before, 3 days and 10 days following the local application of Earigate™. The ABR threshold shifts were compared for both experimental and control ears.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean hearing threshold shifts in the experimental animals were comparable at all frequencies and at days 3 and 10. No statistically significant differences were observed in the mean threshold shifts for all of the frequencies evaluated, between the control and experimental ears.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The administration of Earigate™ to the middle ear of chinchillas did not cause any ototoxicity as assessed by ABR.
authors.affiliation: McGill Auditory Sciences Laboratory, Montreal Children's Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Olubunmi V
authors.initials: OV
authors.lastname: Akinpelu
authors.affiliation: McGill Auditory Sciences Laboratory, Montreal Children's Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Cathy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lemieux
authors.affiliation: McGill Auditory Sciences Laboratory, Montreal Children's Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Citra
authors.affiliation: McGill Auditory Sciences Laboratory, Montreal Children's Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Waissbluth
authors.affiliation: McGill Auditory Sciences Laboratory, Montreal Children's Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Hani
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Al-Marzouki
authors.affiliation: McGill Auditory Sciences Laboratory, Montreal Children's Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sahmkow
authors.affiliation: McGill Auditory Sciences Laboratory, Montreal Children's Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, McGill University, Montreal Children's Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Electronic address: sam.daniel@mcgill.ca.
authors.forename: Sam J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Daniel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002571:Cerumen / Q000187:drug effects*; D058113:Cerumenolytic Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D002682:Chinchilla; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006309:Hearing / Q000187:drug effects*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018058:Tympanic Membrane Perforation / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D058113:Cerumenolytic Agents
keywords: ABR; Cerumen; Chinchilla; Earigate; Ototoxicity; Sea water