Earflo sippy-cup device aims to reduce children's need for ear tube surgery

Earflo is a medical device presented at CES that is designed to look and work like a sippy cup and could potentially help children avoid ear tube surgery, according to early studies.

In an early peer-reviewed study of 21 children aged one to 12 who used Earflo for four weeks, 86% showed significant hearing improvement and the average improvement was 10 decibels, Dr. Matthew Oldakowski, co-founder of Earflo, told ZDNET at CES. Nearly 90% of participants did not need surgery at three months follow-up. About 700,000 children in the US need ear tube surgery each year, the coverage noted.

The device forms a small mask seal on the nose when a child sips; with each swallow, air flows through the nose and the resulting pressure can help open the eustachian tubes to release trapped fluid. Earflo is intended for kids as young as two, includes a game-based app to encourage drinking, and was a finalist for the Best of CES parent tech award. Oldakowski said he has worked on Earflo since 2018 to provide a noninvasive option for parents whose alternatives could otherwise be surgery.

Earflo is going through the FDA clearance process and is slated to go on sale in February, with a price expected to be between $250 and $300, according to the CES coverage. Further outcomes and longer-term results beyond the early study remain to be seen as the device moves toward market clearance.

Key Topics

Health, Earflo, Ear Tube Surgery, Fda, Eustachian Tube, Matthew Oldakowski