Excision of the preauricular sinus: a comparison of two surgical techniques

OBJECTIVES: To compare the long-term recurrence rate of the standard technique (simple sinectomy) and the supra-auricular approach (wide local excision) for the surgical management of preauricular sinuses.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort.

METHODS: Fifty-four patients with a preauricular sinus excised between May 1986 and December 1996 were included in this study. All patients were categorized into one of two groups based on the type of surgery performed: the standard technique or the supra-auricular approach. The medical records were then reviewed and the latest information concerning the recurrence of a preauricular sinus were updated by phone interview. The recurrence rate of these two groups was statistically analyzed by the Fisher exact test.

RESULTS: Forty-nine of 54 patients were successfully contacted with data updated and analyzed. The 32% recurrence rate of the standard excision (n = 25) was significantly higher than the 3.7% recurrence rate of the supraauricular approach (n = 27; two-tailed test, P = .01).

CONCLUSION: The supra-auricular approach for excision of a preauricular sinus has a statistically lower recurrence rate in comparison to the standard technique.