The clinical efficacy of early intervention for infected preauricular sinus.

OBJECTIVE: The study was designed to evaluate the outcomes of early surgical intervention, and to suggest the accurate operation time and surgical strategies.

METHODS: A total of 190 cases (144 patients) of PAS excision were classified into 2 groups according to their time of surgery; early intervention group (n = 53), and non-early intervention group (n = 137). Early intervention was defined as excision performed within 3 weeks from their first hospital visit, and after acute infection control, surgical removal was followed regardless of their infection status. The mean age of patients was 18.3 ± 15.7 years old (62 male, 82 female). During surgery, a parallel incision was added when iatrogenic fistula due to incision and drainage (I &D) or additionally opened wounds caused by infection was present.

RESULTS: Cases of I & D history, revision cases, use of preoperative antibiotics were significantly higher in the early intervention group compared to the non-early intervention group, however, the time of surgery did not affect the complication rate (p = 0.533). Within the infected cases, only 1 patient from the non-early intervention group showed a minor complication of keloid scar. During our follow up period of minimum of 6 months, there was no recurrence in either groups.

CONCLUSION: The early intervention of PASs does not seem to increase postoperative complication or recurrence rates. A double parallel skin incision is a simple but adequate technique to treat infected PASs.