The Clinical Experiences of Congenital Preauricular Fistulectomy including Cartilage Excision

ABSTRACT

The preauricular fistula is a congenital malformation of the ear with a small opening in the preauricular area. In general, this malformation should be treated by excision after its infection is brought under control with antibiotics. For cosmetic consideration, we performed a elliptic incision around opening, and then we dissected along the fistula tract to the cyst without sacrificing too much soft tissues. From March 2001 to March 2005, 90 patients with 102 cases of fistulas were excised including a small portion of auricular perichondrium and cartilage, where they adhered closely. Then, histologic findings of preauricular fistula were studied. The histologic findings reveal that the fistular tract is very close to auricular cartilage, and the thickness of fistular epithelium and perichondrium are about the same. There was no specific complications related to this procedure. The recurrence rate for the excision with cartilage was 2 out of 102(2%). Results of surgery in all cases were satisfactory. It is important, in preauricular fistular excision, perichondrium and auricular cartilage should be excised to prevent recurrence.