Industry Partner: Splash Medical Devices, LLC

Principal Investigators:

Joseph Schultz, MD

The Need:

Removing cerumen from ear canals is an extremely common pediatric procedure. The procedure is frequently complicated by pain and bleeding due to abrasions caused by standard plastic ear curettes. These devices are inexpensive and disposable, and therefore are preferred in pediatric offices, clinics, and emergency rooms. The edges along the parting lines tend to scratch the sensitive ear canal causing pain and bleeding. This causes harm to the patient. It also interferes with proper diagnosis and treatment of the most commonly treated pediatric medical conditions, such as fevers, viral illnesses and otitis media.

The Device:

EasiEar is a disposable round wire curette that is used for the removal of cerumen from the ear canal. This new device will be made with stainless steel wire, in contrast to the plastic injection molded products currently used in most hospitals and clinics. By using a smooth round wire to construct the loop of the ear curette, there are no sharp edges that cause pain or trauma for the pediatric patient. Use of this device will lead to more accurate diagnosis, more judicious use of antibiotics and more efficient patient treatment in pediatric clinical settings.

How has APDC helped?

APDC funding will be used for the market assessment, design and product development of an improved disposable round wire ear curette for use in pediatrics.  

Progress of Device Development