STEROID INJECTION THERAPY FOR PSEUDOCYST OF THE AURICLE

In our clinic, we encountered 8 patients with pseudocyst of the auricl e during a 6-year period from 1987 to 1992 and injected steroid soluti on locally into the pseudocysts. Three of these patients had no recurr ences and 4 were treated successfully after 1-3 recurrences. In only o ne case was this therapy ineffective. After 11 injections, which resul ted in permanent deformity of the auricle, the patient underwent surge ry. We believe that local steroid injection therapy should be the firs t choice method for treating auricular pseudocysts. However, frequent injections can cause auricular deformity and if there are more than 3 recurrences, the pseudocyst should be managed surgically. The lactate dehydrogenase levels of the cystic fluid were determined in 3 of the 8 patients and proved high; in only one patient was the etiology of the pseudocyst thought to be associated with minor trauma.