Ear Culture and Gram Stain
Test Mnemonic
EARCSM
CPT Codes
- 87070 - QTY (1)
- 87205 - QTY (1)
LOINC ®
608-0
Performing Laboratory
Cleveland Clinic Laboratories
Specimen Requirements
| Volume | Type | Container | Collect Temperature | Transport Temperature | Special Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unspecified | Aspirate(s) | Sterile saline | Ambient | Ambient | |
| Unspecified | Swab(s) | See note | Ambient | Ambient | Drainage on a swab in either Amies or Stuart's bacterial transport medium. |
Minimum Specimen Requirements
| Volume | Type | Container | Collect Temperature | Transport Temperature | Special Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 mL |
Stability
| Environmental Condition | Description |
|---|---|
| Ambient | 24 hours |
| Refrigerated | Unacceptable |
| Frozen | Unacceptable |
Days Performed
Sun - Sat
Turnaround Time
7 days
Methodology
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Culture, Identification | |
| Gram Stain |
Reference Range
Special Info
Inner ear: For intact eardrum, clean ear canal with soap solution and collect fluid via syringe aspiration. Submit in sterile container. For ruptured eardrum, collect fluid on flexible shaft swab via an auditory speculum. Outer ear: Use moistened swab to remove any debris or crust from ear canal. Obtain sample by firmly rotating swab in outer canal. For otitis externa, vigorous swabbing is required – surface swabbing may miss streptococcal cellulitis. If culture is positive, identification will be performed on clinically significant organisms at an additional charge. Identification CPT codes that may apply include: 87077, 87106, 87107, 87153, 87158. Antimicrobial susceptibilities are performed when indicated, and the following CPT codes may apply: 87181, 87184, 87185, 87186.
Clinical Info
Otitis media can usually be diagnosed and treated without culture. Tympanocentesis should be reserved for complicated, recurrent, or chronic persistent otitis media. Respiratory viruses, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis are the most common organisms causing acute otitis media. Chronic external otitis is often due to seborrhea. The primary etiology of necrotizing otitis externa infection is Pseudomonas aeruginosa.