What is preauricular fistula?

What is preauricular fistula?

What is preauricular fistula?

Introduction. Congenital preauricular fistula (CPF) is a common congenital malformation of the external ear in children. In most patients, it manifests as a skin pit in front of the ascending branch of the helix. No intervention should be implemented when the patients have no obvious symptoms.

What comes out of a preauricular sinus?

A preauricular sinus appears as a very small pit just in front of the external ear (see figure 1). Most people with preauricular sinuses are completely asymptomatic. However, these sinuses can drain a foul smelling discharge, and when this happens, they are prone to chronic infection.

How rare is a preauricular sinus?

Frequency of preauricular sinus differs depending the population: 0.1–0.9% in the US, 0.9% in the UK, and 4–10% in Asia and parts of Africa. Preauricular sinuses are inherited features, and frequently appear next to both ears.

What causes preauricular fistula?

A preauricular cyst or fistula may form as the result of abnormal development of the first and second branchial arch and may manifest as persistent discharge or recurrent infection. A draining sinus may be present anterior to the tragus; when infected, the cyst distends with pus, and the overlying skin is erythematous.

Why do I have a hole at the top of my ear?

A preauricular pit is a small hole or cyst just in front of your ear above your ear canal. This hole marks a sinus tract under the skin that’s in the wrong place. These tracts can vary in size. Some people have a short tract while others have a longer one with lots of branches.

Is preauricular sinus harmful?

Preauricular pits are usually harmless and typically don’t cause any health issues. Sometimes, they become infected and require a course of antibiotics. If your child has preauricular pits that regularly become infected, your child’s doctor may recommend surgery to remove the pit and connected tract.

Why was I born with a small hole in my ear?

Preauricular pits occur during the development of an embryo. It most likely occurs during the formation of the auricle (the outer part of the ear) during the first two months of gestation. Experts think the pits develop when two parts of the auricle, known as the hillocks of His, don’t properly join together.

How is preauricular sinus treated?

An acutely infected preauricular sinus was first treated with a course of antibiotics. Any abscess was incised and drained as close to the sinus pit to facilitate future excision, and operation was delayed until signs of inflammation subsided.

How do you treat preauricular sinusitis?

Chronic preauricular abscesses can be managed by sinus/cyst excision and subcutaneous abscess curettage without resection of the abscess wall or overlying skin. This leads to consistent control and favorable cosmesis.