Abnormalities in and around the ear: congenital, traumatic, inflammatory, and neoplastic.

Lesions on or about the auricle may be of congenital, traumatic, inflammatory, or neoplastic origin. For congenital lesions, appropriate treatment and correction of hearing loss are important concerns. The most common traumatic lesions, subperichondral hematomas and keloids, require accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment to prevent development of further problems. Inflammatory lesions are usually easy to diagnose from the patient's complaints of recent onset of pain, erythema, and edema. Neoplasms, especially squamous cell carcinoma, should be considered in differential diagnosis of a sore that does not heal. When treatment of a periauricular abnormality involves surgery, biopsy, or incision and drainage, care should be taken not to jeopardize the facial nerve.