Auricular Tophi Presenting as a Unilateral Auricular Mass Lesion

ABSTRACT

Tophus due to gout is most commonly found in the toes and ankles, but can also be found in the auricle. Although small nodules on the helix are sometimes found in gout patients, a large mass lesion on the back side of the auricle is rare. We report a patient who visited the otology clinic due to an auricular mass lesion, which was diagnosed as a large auricular tophus. A 17-year-old male patient who suffered from gout complained of a right side auricular mass. A 3 cm sized solid mass lesion was detected on the back side of the right canvum conchal cartilage. The mass was soft, non-tender, and well-circumscribed. The lesion was first found 1-2 years earlier. The size of the lesion had been slowly increasing, but had recently stopped growing. The mass was surgically removed for pathologic confirmation and cosmetic reasons. Specimens were composed of 2 irregularly shaped pieces of soft-gray tan and yellowish tissue. The upper larger tophus was attached to the cartilage and the lower smaller tophus was embedded inside the auricular cartilage. Pathologic findings suggested tophus with amorphous deposits and subepithelial tissue.