A Simple Guide to Pre-auricular Pit, Diagnosis, Treatment and Related Conditions

This book describes Pre-auricular Pit, Diagnosis and Treatment and Related Diseases which is seen in some of my patients in my Family Clinic

Today a female patient consulted me about an inflamed swelling her left cheek in front of her ear which caused her pain for the past 2 weeks.
The swelling had also spread down to her neck and down to the outer clavicular bone area.
The patient had seen a doctor and was given a painkiller to relieve the pain but it did not stop the swelling.
It was an obvious infected pre-auricular pit that had started in front of the ear and spread down to the neck and clavical lymph nodes.
I asked her whether she had the swelling before and she replied that it had occurred a few times during the lat few years but it normally subsided by itself but not this time.
She knew about the pre-auricular pit because her mother told her that she had it since her birth but did not bother about it since it did not give her any problem.
I told her that it was a congenital disorder that may happened from abnormal development of the ear before birth and that it was not dangerous unless it becomes infected as in the present state.
Most infections should subside with antibiotics.
Rarely it may require surgical excision.

A pre-auricular pit, also known as a pre-auricular sinus or fistula, is a small hole or pit that forms near the front of the ear, normally in front of the upper part of the ear where the cartilage is.

This congenital disorder is present at birth

This small hole is connected to an unusual sinus tract under the skin.

A pre-auricular pit is basically a sinus tract traveling under the skin that does not belong there

The tract running underneath the skin may be either short or long and complex, with extensive branching.

The pre-auricular pit is harmless and not linked with hearing impairments, and only rarely linked with a genetic syndrome involving other disorders.

This tract is a narrow passageway under the skin that can cause infection.

In atypical instances, the opening occurs below the ear canal, closer to the lobe.

The exact cause of pre-auricular pits is not fully understood, but they are believed to result from developmental issues during the formation of the ear in the early stages of fetal development.

The visible part of the ear or the auricle forms during the sixth week of gestation.

When auricular formation develops fusion problems, a pre-auricular pit forms

Pre-auricular pits form during the development of an embryo.

It most possibly happens during the formation of the auricle during the first 2 months of pregnancy.

Pre-auricular pits are often asymptomatic, meaning they may not cause any noticeable symptoms.

However the pit may become infected, leading to symptoms such as redness, swelling, and drainage of pus.

The most frequent symptoms of a pit are:
A tiny opening is visible in front of one or both ears
An opening that appears as more of a dimple.
A slow-growing painless lump adjacent to the opening, indicating a cyst.
A cyst also increases the danger of infection.

The diagnosis of a pre-auricular pit is typically made through a physical examination.

Ultrasound or CT scan, may be used to evaluate the extent of the pit and any linked abnormalities.

Treatment is normally not necessary unless the pre-auricular pit becomes infected.

In cases of infection, antibiotics may be prescribed.

Surgical removal of the complete tract is done if the pit is prone to recurrent infections

TABLE OF CONTENT
Introduction
Chapter 1 Pre-auricular Pit
Chapter 2 Cause
Chapter 3 Symptoms
Chapter 4 Diagnosis
Chapter 5 Treatment
Chapter 6 Prognosis
Chapter 7 Cellulitis
Chapter 8 Furuncle (Boil)
Epilogue