Abstract
The preauricular sinus is a common finding in the pediatric population. An unusual case of a preauricular sinus that had as only manifestations recurrent postauricular abscesses is presented. A 13 year-old boy presented to the outpatients department with an infected cystic lesion and a hypertrophic scar below the left earlobe. He was operated 7 times in the past by different surgeons; however the postauricular abscess always recurred. Thorough clinical examination revealed a preauricular pit. The combined excision of the preauricular sinus and the remnants of the postauricular cyst resolved the problem and the patient has been asymptomatic ever since during a two years follow-up. Recurrent postauricular infected cysts may, albeit uncommonly, indicate an aberrant preauricular sinus, and the clinician needs to be aware of this possibility.
Highlights
Preauricular sinuses were first described by Heusinger in 1864 [1]
An unusual case of a preauricular sinus that had as only manifestations recurrent postauricular abscesses is presented
A 13 year-old boy presented to the outpatients department with an infected cystic lesion and a hypertrophic scar below the left earlobe
Summary
Preauricular sinuses were first described by Heusinger in 1864 [1] They are congenital malformations that result from defective or incomplete fusion of the six auricular hillocks [2]. They are more frequent in Taiwan 1.6% 2.5% and some areas of Africa 4% - 10% and less frequent in United States 0.1% - 0.9% and England 0.9% [3]. Postauricular abscesses can result from infected epidermoid cysts or rarely type I anomalies of the first branchial cleft [4]. The combined excision of the preauricular sinus and the remnants of the postauricular cyst resolved the problem and the patient has been asymptomatic ever since during our two years follow-up
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