| Ear Culture, Bacterial (088-0057) | |
|---|---|
| Test Mnemonic: | C EAR |
| Specimen Requirements: | |
| Test Included: | Culture isolation of aerobic bacteria |
| Collection: | Left ear swab, right ear swab, middle ear aspiration |
| Container: | Culturette or sterile container |
| Storage/Transport: | Room temperature. Refrigerate if transport is delayed. |
| Stability: | 48 hours |
| Causes for Rejection: | Leaking container, specimen container unlabeled or labeled incorrectly. No date and time of collection on requisition form. |
| Reference Range: | No aerobic growth |
| Turnaround Time: | 2-3 days |
| Methodology: | Culture isolation of aerobic bacteria |
| Performed: | Clinical Microbiology |
| Synonyms: | Culture, ear; Bacterial ear culture; Ear bacterial culture; Middle ear culture |
| Clinical Indication: | Detection of bacterial pathogens that cause ear infections (acute otitis media, otitis externa) |
| CPT 4 Code: | 87070, additional CPT codes if indicated |
| Note: | Fully describe the sample source on the requisition form (example - outer ear, middle ear aspiration, etc.) to insure appropriate processing. |
| When ordering tests for which Medicare or Medicaid reimbursement will be sought, physicians should only order tests that are medically necessary for the diagnosis or treatment of the patient. Components of the organ or disease panels may be ordered individually. The diagnostic information must substantiate all tests ordered and must be in the form of an ICD-10 code or its verbal equivalent. | |