Association of congenital ear deformities with dermoid cysts of the auricle

Abstract

Dermoid cysts of the auricle are exceedingly rare. Since 2000, only three patients presented with auricular dermoid cysts at our hospital department, two of which were associated with congenital ear deformities. We conducted a literature review to identify other cases of auricular dermoids and investigated their association with congenital ear deformities. We searched case reports published in English, Japanese, and Chinese languages using electronic databases. We also briefly present the three case examples from our hospital. Review of the literature revealed 16 reports of 18 auricular dermoids, and here we report 3 additional cases. The age of the patients ranged from 0 to 63 years. The male to female ratio was 11:8. Seven lesions were associated with congenital ear deformities. Although there was a wide age distribution amongst the patients, asymptomatic cystic tumors on the upper medial region of the auricle which occur during childhood may be dermoid in nature. It is important for all practitioners to be aware of the association between auricular dermoid cysts and congenital ear deformities. Level of evidence: Level IV, therapeutic study.