The clinical efficacy of early intervention for infected preauricular sinus

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

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.

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.

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.