A Comparative Study Between Different Surgical Techniques for Preauricular Sinus at Tertiary Care Centre, Secunderabad, Telangana

Abstract

BACKGROUND Preauricular sinus is an asymptomatic congenital abnormality of external ear found along the ascending crux of the helix or adjacent to tragus. Asymptomatic preauricular sinus does not require any intervention. The most common clinical presentation of infected preauricular sinus is erythema, swelling, pain and discharge. Infected preauricular sinus requires surgical excision to prevent recurrence and reinfection.The objective of this study is to compare the outcomes of preauricular sinus excision by classic simple sinusectomy, classic simple sinusectomy with methylene blue dye injection and supra-auricular approach. MATERIALS AND METHODSA prospective study was carried out in Department of Otorhinolaryngology of Gandhi Medical College, Secunderabad from 2009 to 2014 with a 3-year follow-up period. Patients were evaluated on the outcomes of 3 surgical techniques namely classic simple, sinusectomy, classic simple sinusectomy with methylene blue injection and supra-auricular approach. RESULTSA total of 50 patients required surgical excision of preauricular sinus during study period. Around 64% of cases were in the age group of 6 -10 years. Around 15% of study population who underwent classic simple sinusectomy showed recurrence after excision and 10% of subjects who underwent classic simple sinusectomy with intraoperative methylene blue injection showed recurrence. There were no recurrences reported among study subjects who underwent excision of sinus by supra-auricular approach. CONCLUSIONFrom the present study, it can be concluded that supra-auricular approach has no recurrence/ least recurrence when compared with other surgical techniques for management of preauricular sinus.