Seroma of the auricle

Abstract

A 35-year-old man had the insidious onset of an asymptomatic cyst-like swelling of the auricle. Serous fluid was evacuated but continued to reaccumulate. Application of a pressure dressing resulted in resolution without deformity. Distinguishing features of seroma, pseudocyst, and hematoma are discussed.

Bilateral auricular pseudocyst: a case report and discussion

“…The differential diagnoses include relapsing polychondritis, chondrodermatitis nodularis helicis and traumatic perichondritis (Heffner and Hyams, 1986). A very similar condition has been reported as a seroma (Lapins and Odom, 1982) and it is likely that this case was also a pseudocyst (Glamb and Kim, 1984). The aetiology remains unclear and a number of treatments have been proposed.…”

Auricular Pseudocysts: A Treatment with the Chulalongkorn University Vacuum Device

“…1 However, a clear pale yellow serous fluid without cells lacking growth on bacterial culture, which characterized the fluid as a transudate, may be encountered and may be thought of as a seroma. 2 Whatever it is, the aims of treatment of this rare entity are to eliminate the fluid, to prevent reaccumulation, and to avoid an infection, thereby resulting in a cure.…”

Medical management of pseudocyst of the auricle

“…Pseudocyst of the auricle is a cystic lesion ranging from 1 to 4 cm, presenting on the upper portion of the anterior aspect of the external ear (Engel, 1966). The fluid within is usually straw coloured and bacterial (Lapins and Odom, 1982) and fungal culture (Karakshian et al, 1987) are always sterile. These facts encouraged us to use a short course of high dose systemic corticosteroid therapy for these patients with no risk of the development of perichondritis.…”

“…Other treatment methods described such as needle aspiration (Lapins and Odom, 1982), packing the ear with BIPP pack and applying a mastoid bandage for three days after aspiration (Shanmugham, 1985), curettage of the pseudocyst wall fol- lowing incision and drainage and subsequent contour pressure dressing (Hansen, 1967), are invasive and there is always the risk of perichondritis. Excision of the anterior cyst wall, another prescribed method of treatment had the complication of the posterior wall being inadvertently excised leading to a 'floppy' ear (Choi et al, 1984).…”