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Otorrhea Reached the Earhook (Phonak HE11 680): Replace or Just Clean?

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Hi everyone,

My son recently started using a Phonak Sky L PR in one ear. That ear still has a small hole in the eardrum after the grommet came out and the eardrum hasn’t closed yet.

A few days ago, we noticed otorrhea coming from that ear, which went up through the earmold and tubing, and even reached the earhook (though it didn’t seem to reach the damper).

At first, I disconnected the earmold and tube and rinsed them with water to remove the fluid. I did the same with the earhook—only later did I realize that washing the earhook isn’t recommended because the damper/acoustic filter can be damaged.

When I mentioned this at our audiology appointment and asked about replacing both the tube and the earhook, the audiologist said she would replace the tube but that the earhook didn’t need to be changed. Instead, she cleaned the earhook with what I think was alcohol, used a drying spray, and then put it in a UV drying box to finish the disinfection.

However, I’ve read in several places that since earhooks are inexpensive, it’s often considered best practice to simply replace a contaminated earhook rather than trying to clean it.

Since we’re still very new to this world, I’d really appreciate hearing your opinions and advice about this.

Thanks in advance!

6 people in this conversation3 min readJump to latest

I agree with you, I’d want the aid sent back to be cleaned properly by manufacturer, I’m assuming it’s still under warranty?

My question would be, if the otorrhea was in the ear hook, is it possible some could have gotten inside the aid itself?

Good luck.

My take is that I think it will be fine.

In reply to @Deaf_piper

@Deaf_piper said:

My question would be, if the otorrhea was in the ear hook, is it possible some could have gotten inside the aid itself?

The OP mentioned the damper (little white ball) stopped anything from getting into the aid. It should be ok but I also believe these hooks are cheap and could have been easily replaced. Maybe the audiologist didn’t have a spare?

Speaking from experience (if I replaced the tubing and/or earhook every time some gunk got in there I’d be doing it almost daily), definitely clean the tubing and if possible the earhook, not to mention the mould or dome. Hot water does for the mould and tubing, but makes the tubing go harder faster. I guess an alcohol spray would be a good alternative if you can get the spray into the tubing.

As for the little white damper, my experience is that it expands with moisture, gradually blocking more and more sound. I don’t know whether putting it into a drying box would make it shrink again, anyone have direct experience of this?

The one time I had a sound issue from a blocked damper I pushed it out with some fishing line. These aids went into a Dry & Store dryer every night. The ear hook was attached to the aid so airflow would have been limited for drying.

The OP has a different situation. I believe the damper is a good thing under their circumstances. It kept the bad stuff out of the aid. Once that ear from heals I would consider not using ear hooks with dampers imo.

Edited

Thanks for all your opinions. Let me try to clarify a bit the situation

@Deaf_piper said:

if the otorrhea was in the ear hook, is it possible some could have gotten inside the aid itself?

As far as I can tell, I think that the liquid didn’t reach the damper, so I think that it is safe to assume that the wasn’t affected

@Raudrive said:

Maybe the audiologist didn’t have a spare?

I think that was the main reason. Probably it would needed to be ordered.

@Clothears said:

As for the little white damper, my experience is that it expands with moisture, gradually blocking more and more sound.

That is one of my main questions. As I rinsed the earhook with the damper, doesn’t the water damaged the damper and the sound will be affected?

@Raudrive said:

Once that ear from heals I would consider not using ear hooks with dampers imo.

you would consider not using the damper to avoid sound issues? I am a bit reluctant to remove it, as the HA is shipped with it, I guess that they don’t fully trust that software can attenuate the same way as the damper does, no?

@Ruigss said:

As I rinsed the earhook with the damper, doesn’t the water damaged the damper and the sound will be affected?

I can’t say it would damage the damper but it will block and affect the sound going through it.

The alcohol used in the ear hook should help to dry the damper along with the dryer. Vapor point is much lower.

In reply to @Ruigss

@Ruigss said:

I am a bit reluctant to remove it, as the HA is shipped with it, I guess that they don’t fully trust that software can attenuate the same way as the damper does, no?

The Target software has two boxes to check if the ear hook has a damper or not. The ear hooks can be bought either way. From my experience with this damper I could not tell the difference with or without the damper.

If your child has soft silicone earmolds ideally the entire earmold and hook would be replaced. If they have hard acrylic earmolds it is possible to disinfect these, but I’d still probably replace the hook as the damper will likely not be performing as well as it could be if discharge reached it which may affect the smoothness of the acoustic frequency response and/or overall amplification levels.

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