Infected transcartilaginous ear piercings. A case report and review of the literature / Pericondritis del pabellón auricular por piercings. Reporte de un caso clínico y revisión de la literatura

Background: transcartilaginous perforations have become a prominent practice among adolescents and young adults in recent years,which are associated with an increased risk of complications since it is frequently performed without sterile technique and by unqualified individuals. The transgression of the integrity of the skin and cartilage of the ear favors infections such as cellulitis, chondritis, perichondritis or abscesses that can cause serious deformities. Methods: we present a clinical case compatible with a perichondritis secondary to ear perforations with three abscesses. Results: the three abscesses were drained with sterile technique and successfully managed with outpatient antibiotic treatment. In relation to the pathophysiology, the trauma in the auditory pavilion produces the extraction of the adjacent perichondrium, causing devascularization of the cartilage and microfractures, which together with the transgression of the skin, increase the susceptibility to infection. In addition, subpericardial bleeding and inflammatory reaction decrease the blood supply, which limits the immune response and the effectiveness of antibiotics. In some cases, incision and drainage are required. The signs of perichondritis include pain, swelling, and erythema of the skin. Clinically, perichondritis can be differentiated from cellulitis of the pinna, in that the first usually does not involve the earlobe. The fluctuating swelling leads us to an abscess. Conclusions: the administration of broad-spectrum antibiotics should be immediately administered and include coverage for Pseudomonas aeruginosa since it is responsible for the majority of post-perforation cartilage infections (up to 95 percent of cases). Due to the increase of post-perforation infectious complications, all physicians should be familiar with its diagnosis and treatment.(AU)

Antecedentes: las perforaciones transcartilaginosas se han convertido en una práctica destacada entre adolescentes y adultos jóvenes en los últimos años, que están asociados con un mayor riesgo de complicaciones, ya que se realiza con frecuencia sin técnica estéril y sin calificación individuos. La transgresión de la integridad de la piel y el cartílago del oído favorece infecciones como la celulitis, la condritis, la pericondritis o los abscesos que pueden causar graves deformidades. Métodos: presentamos un caso clínico compatible con una pericondritis secundaria a las perforaciones del oído con tres abscesos. Resultados: los tres abscesos se drenaron con técnica estéril y se manejaron con éxito con tratamiento antibiótico ambulatorio. En relación con la fisiopatología, el trauma en el pabellón auditivo produce la extracción. del pericondrio adyacente, causando la desvascularización del cartílago y las microfracturas, que junto con la transgresión de la piel, aumenta la susceptibilidad a la infección. Además, el sangrado subpericárdico y la reacción inflamatoria disminuyen la sangre. suministro, lo que limita la respuesta inmune y la efectividad de los antibióticos. En algunos casos, se requiere incisión y drenaje. los Los signos de pericondritis incluyen dolor, hinchazón y eritema de la piel. Clínicamente, la pericondritis puede diferenciarse de la celulitis de el pinna, ya que el primero generalmente no involucra el lóbulo de la oreja. La hinchazón fluctuante nos lleva a un absceso. Conclusiones: la administración de antibióticos de amplio espectro debe administrarse inmediatamente e incluir cobertura para Pseudomonas aeruginosa desde Es responsable de la mayoría de las infecciones de cartílago posteriores a la perforación (hasta el 95 por ciento de los casos). Debido al aumento de post-perforación complicaciones infecciosas, todos los médicos deben estar familiarizados con su diagnóstico y tratamiento...(AU)

Embedded Earring in a 19-year-old Female / 대한피부과학회지

No abstract available.

Two Cases of Post-piercing Auricular Perichondritis Caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa / 대한피부과학회지

Piercing of various parts of the body is common practice in Korea nowadays. In particular, ear piercing appears to be increasingly prevalent among adolescents and young-adults. Because of the complication of the procedure, auricular perichondritis after piercings can arise in this patient population. Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are the most common causative organisms associated with infections due to ear piercing. In most cases, however, the patients were not prescribed anti-pseudomonal antimicrobial agent at presentation. This may result in persistent complicated infection and permanent cosmetic deformities. Herein, we describe two cases of post-piercing auricular perichondritis caused by P. aeruginosa successfully treated with intravenous antimicrobial agents. Also, a literature review of auricular perichondritis after ear piercing was done.

Study of Complications of Ear Piercing / 대한피부과학회지

BACKGROUND: Ear piercing is widely and easily practiced by medical personnel as well as nonmedical personnel, but it has been associated with many complications. Epidermal cyst may develop after ear piercing and result in permanent deformity of ear. However, there have been few studies to investigate the complications of ear piercing, and especially epidermal cyst. OBJECTIVE: We wanted to evaluate the epidemiology of epidermal cyst that developed due to ear piercing. METHODS: A written questionnaire was distributed to 236 students at Chosun University. It consisted of 17 items concerning the overall evaluation of the complications of ear piercing, the treatments for the complications and the epidemiology of epidermal cyst after ear piercing. RESULTS: Of 236 students included in the survey, 132 students (56%) already had pierced ears. Among them, 80 students (60.6%) experienced one or more complications such as contact dermatitis (41.5%), infection (39.2%), cyst formation (13.7%) and bleeding (5.9%). In 14 students who experienced epidermal cyst after ear piercing, the ratio of male to female patients was 1:3.7 and the mean age when they first underwent ear piercing was 18.7 years. An asymptomatic cystic mass was the most common clinical symptom. Half of them received medical treatment such as dressing (50%), medication (25%), drainage (12.5%) and a surgical procedure (12.5%). CONCLUSION: Our data indicates that ear piercing is not easy and simple, but rather, it is a dangerous procedure due to its frequent complications. Therefore, dermatologists should warn patients about the complications of ear piercing and play a major role to prevent them.

A Case of Chronic Hepatitis C Acquired throughEar Piercing and Acupuncture / 대한소아소화기영양학회지

Although transfusion of blood and plasma products are accepted as the principle means of transmission of HCV, other parenteral methods, such as acupuncture, tattooing needles, piercing, and surgery are possible methods of transmission of HCV. We managed a case of chronic hepatitis C acquired through ear piercing and acupuncture. A 10-year old girl presented with nausea, abdominal pain, and anorexia for 1 month. Her laboratory finding showed the following: AST/ALT, 865/1,290 IU/L; positive anti-HCV Ab; and HCV RNA. One year previously, she was treated with acupuncture for an ankle sprain and 2 years previously, she had her ears pierced. Laboratory findings of family members showed AST/ALT in the normal ranges, and negative anti-HCV Ab and HCV RNA. The pathologic findings of a liver biopsy revealed chronic hepatitis with mild lobular activity, moderate porto-periportal activity, and portal fibrosis. She was treated with pegylated interferon alpha-2a and oral ribavirin for 6 months, after which the clinical symptoms and laboratory findings improved.

A Case of Pseudolymphoma on the Left Ear Lobe after Ear Piercing / 대한피부과학회지

Cutaneous pseudolymphoma has been defined as a benign lymphocytic infiltrate of the skin that resembles cutaneous lymphoma both clinically and histologically. There are many known causes of skin pseudolymphoma, but a definite cause cannot frequently be identified. We report here on a 37-year-old female with pseudolymphoma on the left ear lobe after having her ear pierced. When we performed a biopsy, an earring was found by chance. Unlike most of the reported cases of pseudolymphoma after ear piercing, this patient did not show a delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction to gold or nickel.

Pseudolymphoma Induced by Ear Piercing

We present a patient who developed a pseudolymphoma after ear piercing. A patch test showed gold sensitivity. Therefore, long standing dermal exposure to gold from a pierced-type earring might have produced the patient's disease. This patient did not respond to an intralesional steroid injection and was finally treated with a complete resection of the lesion. It is proposed that every patient with a hyperplastic lesion in the ear lobe should be taken a biopsy in order to rule out the possibility of a pseudolymphoma. When a pseudolymphoma develops in the ear lobe, a complete surgical excision could be the treatment of choice, especially for the prevention of recurrence.