A Simple and Feasible Earlobe Keloid Pressure Splint

Earlobe keloids are difficult to manage due to their high recurrence rates and the challenges of applying consistent compression over the ear's complex shape. Common treatments, including surgical excision, intralesional corticosteroid injections, cryotherapy, laser therapy, and radiotherapy, often have recurrence rates exceeding 50 percent when used alone. Combining surgical excision with adjuvant measures can significantly improve outcomes. We describe a novel, low cost, time efficient, and easily fabricated compression device used alongside core excision, low tension closure, and intralesional corticosteroids. Two 25-gauge syringe hubs are removed from the syringe and modified with cautery to create suture channels. They are soaked in chlorhexidine or alcohol, layered with xeroform gauze, and applied bilaterally to the earlobe using nylon sutures in a horizontal mattress or figure-of-eight configuration. Worn continuously for six months, the device delivers sustained, conforming compression, integrates recurrence-reducing principles, and offers a practical alternative to commercial or custom 3D printed devices.