Hansen's Disease Presenting as Perichondritis: A Rare ENT Diagnostic Challenge - Case Series

Hansen's disease (leprosy) can have a myriad of presentations. The rheumatological presentation of leprosy has been described as the third most common presentation, following skin and nerve involvement. Aural involvement mimicking relapsing polychondritis (RPC) is rare in Hansen's disease. In this article, we describe a case series of patients of Hansens's disease presented with auricular perichondritis mimicking RPC. Although a clinical distinction can be made between the two, one should always support the diagnosis with tissue confirmation and avoid inappropriate immunosuppressive therapy.