In the treatment of secretory otitis media in which the secretion is a serous type, one of the best methods of removing secretions from the middle ear after a tympanotomy is by means of the Siegle otoscope or the Bruening-Zeiss otoscope. Even after inflation of the middle ear fails to blow out any more secretion from the middle ear, the use of massive suction by the Siegle otoscope usually succeeds in drawing out secretions from the middle ear.
However, it is very frustrating and exasperating to see the solution withdraw back into the middle ear after the suction is released. Some have attempted to overcome this by inserting a small wick of cotton in the external canal during the procedure to absorb the secretion when it comes out from the middle ear through the perforation. The cotton soaks up the fluid as a blotter soaks up ink. This procedure, however,