Abstract
A pre-auricular sinus will rarely present in coexistence with a post-auricular dermoid cyst. The coexistence of a discharging pre-auricular sinus with a post-auricular dermoid cyst presents a diagnostic challenge. Without meticulous history taking and physical exam, one would subject the patient to aggressive and unwarranted investigation and management modalities as though the infected post-auricular dermoid cyst were a mastoid abscess. We present a 15-year-old male who presented to the ENT clinic of Mulago National Referral Hospital and was diagnosed with an infected pre-auricular sinus with an infected post-auricular dermoid cyst.
Highlights
A pre-auricular sinus will rarely present in coexistence with a post-auricular dermoid cyst
A pre-auricular sinus is a congenital anomaly resulting from aberrant fusion the auricular hillocks of His
Pre-auricular sinuses that get infected often result in recurrent infections recalcitrant to antibiotic therapy and only amenable to surgical excision[3]
Summary
A pre-auricular sinus will rarely present in coexistence with a post-auricular dermoid cyst. We present a 15-year-old male who presented to the ENT clinic of Mulago National Referral Hospital with a pre-auricular sinus coexisting with a postauricular congenital dermoid cyst. Had ipsilateral ear pain but no ear discharge or reduced hearing On examination, he had a tender pusdischarging pre-auricular sinus anterior to the crus of the helix. The rest of the physical examination and systemic examination were found to be unremarkably normal He was managed with an incision and drainage and initiated on a course of antibiotics and analgesia. Four weeks later he was reviewed and found to have a dried up sinus with a persisting component of the post-auricular mass that was non-tender.
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