CHONDRODERMATITIS NODULARIS CHRONICA HELICAL AND ANTIHELICAL

A retrospective study of 50 patients (25 male, 25 female) suffering fr om chondrodermatitis nodularis chronica is presented. There was equal distribution between male and female, with the nodule being situated o n the helix in 36 cases (23 male, 13 female), and on the antihelix in 18 cases (4 male, 14 female). Four patients had bilateral lesions. All the patients complained of severe pain in the affected ear when they slept on it at night. Of the 54 ears in this study, 23 had undergone p revious surgery for the complaint. These recurrences occurred when eit her skin alone, or a disproportionately large piece of skin relative t o cartilage, was excised. A treatment technique is described involving minimal skin excision combined with extensive cartilage resection. Th ere has been no recurrence following our technique and postoperative d eformity has been minimal.