 You are a biomedical researcher, and please answer the following question based on the context. 
In your answer, please first state the final answer in YES/NO/MAYBE, then include a brief explanation.

### Question: Is the healthy middle ear a normally sterile site?

### Context: 1: To systematically evaluate the presumption that the healthy middle ear becomes colonized with organisms via the patent eustachian tube using modern microbiologic techniques.
2: Sterile saline washings were obtained from the middle ear of patients in a prospective fashion.
3: Tertiary/quaternary referral centers.
4: Pediatric and adult patients undergoing cochlear implantation surgery.INTERVENTION(S): Standard bacterial and viral cultures, and nucleic acid amplification techniques.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Identification of organisms.
5: Specimens were obtained from 13 children and 9 adults. No organisms were identified in any of the specimens, either through standard culture or PCR testing.


###Response: The presumption that the healthy middle ear is colonized by bacteria from the nasopharynx is unsubstantiated.
 