Self-amputation of the ear: three men amputate four ears within five months

Four instances are presented of self-amputation of the pinna of the external ear carried out by three right-handed, white males between January 1993 and May 1993. The common characteristics of these subjects--two men with personality disorder and one with schizophrenia--are discussed and compared with other examples of self-mutilation involving the face and ears, including that of van Gogh. A survey of Australian and New Zealand prisons was conducted to determine the frequency of this form of self-mutilation within the last five years, and yielded only one other case. Connections exist between the amputees supporting the notion that self-mutilation is "contagious"; the relevance of this to issues of management is considered.