|
Cases
Ear Swelling
| |
Background
A
40-year-old man presents with swelling of his right pinna that
he noticed upon waking. The patient does not have pain,
discharge from the ear, or a history of trauma or an insect bite
to the pinna. He had similar symptoms in his left ear 7 years
ago but did not seek medical attention. Examination findings
include cystic, fluctuant, nontender swelling on the lateral
part of the right pinna. No insect bite mark or injury to the
overlying skin is apparent. The patient’s external auditory
canal is normal. What is the diagnosis?
|
|
Scroll
down for Hint and Answer
|
|
|
***** HINT *****
The man has a noninfective and nontraumatic condition.
***** ANSWER *****
Seroma of the right pinna: Seroma of the pinna is a
collection of serous fluid between the perichondrial layer of the pinna
and the underlying cartilage. The etiology is usually unclear, and the
condition tends to recur. Treatment consists of needle aspiration or
drainage of the fluid with application of a compression bandage to the
pinna. Drainage is necessary to prevent necrosis of the cartilage. Some
physicians advocate therapy with a short course of oral steroids.
|
Author:
Amir Izwan, MD, MS, Rahmat Omar, MD, MS,
Prepageran Narayanan, MD, FRCS, and R. Raman, MD, MS
University Malaya Medical Center, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Editor:
John Leung, MD
Yale University- Yale New Haven Hospital
Source
http://emedicine.com
|
|
