Click on the icon on the upper right hand side for the article by Erez Davidi, MD, Alona Paz, MD, Hava Duchman, MD, Michal Luntz, MD and Israel Potasman, MD, FIDSA.
IMAJ 2011: 13: January: 21-24
Abstract
Background: Perichondritis of the auricle is a serious disease that may lead to residual deformity.
Objectives: To assess our experience with perichondritis in a large group of patients hospitalized with this entity.
Methods: We retrospectively studied 114 patients who were admitted with perichondritis during 1987–2004, including their demographic details, medical history, current illness, etiology, pathogens and treatments.
Results: The patients’ mean age was 41.8 ± 20.7 years. In more than half of the patients the etiology could not be determined. Forty-seven patients (41%) were treated prior to hospitalization for an average of 2.5 ± 1.9 days. Eight patients (7%) required surgical intervention. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was found to be the predominant organism (69% of available isolates) and was associated with a more advanced clinical presentation and longer hospitalization (P = 0.008).
Conclusions: Perichondritis develops in many cases after apparent minor trauma. Since P. aeruginosa is probably the predominant pathogen, initial treatment should include anti-pseudomonal antibiotics.
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