infection control

[Tom Boismier]

In article <31928615.4ACD at lobe.frye.com>, sfrye at FRYE.COM says...
>
>While cerumen itself doesn't harbor bacteria, blood in the cerumen can.
>She was concerned about hepatitis and, of course, HIV.  She also 
>emphasized the importance of washing hands.

One of my patients recently asked about the possibility of infection from 
(open-loop water) caloric irrigations. Turns out she stuffed her ears with 
cotton as soon as she left the lab, turning her ears into a marvelous petri 
dish... Even with that, she had no infection on exam. In 12 years of doing 
ENG, I've never seen or heard of a case of infection attributed to calorics. 
Has anyone else?

We use silicone gloves during calorics, and wipe the irrigator tip with 
alcohol after use. Most folks who use the closed-loop irrigators seem to reuse 
the little balloons (I hear they're darned expensive...). What procedures are 
other folks using?