Dermatologic diseases of the external ear

Cartilage Tissue Engineering in Multilayer Tissue Regeneration

The functional and structural integrity of the tissue/organ can be compromised in multilayer reconstructive applications involving cartilage tissue. Therefore, multilayer structures are needed for cartilage applications. In this review, we have examined multilayer scaffolds for use in the treatment of damage to organs such as the trachea, joint, nose, and ear, including the multilayer cartilage structure, but we have generally seen that they have potential applications in trachea and joint regeneration. In conclusion, when the existing studies are examined, the results are promising for the trachea and joint connections, but are still limited for the nasal and ear. It may have promising implications in the future in terms of reducing the invasiveness of existing grafting techniques used in the reconstruction of tissues with multilayered layers.

Medical Device-Related Pressure Injury to the Ear from a Mask

ABSTRACT

Mask wearing is now ubiquitous because of the COVID-19 pandemic and has given rise to medical device-related pressure injuries in persons at risk of skin breakdown. The ear has unique anatomy that is particularly susceptible to injury from pressure. In this time of mandatory personal protective equipment requirements in healthcare facilities, protection and assessment of skin in the vulnerable postauricular area are needed. This article presents a case report of a pressure injury on the ear, reviews the anatomy of the ear, and provides strategies for assessment and treatment of pressure injuries in this often overlooked anatomic region.

[Modern aspects of inflammatory external ear diseases treatment]

The article deals with the problem of inflammatory diseases of the external ear. A review of pruritic dermatoses of the external auditory canal was carried out. It has been shown that in chronic dermatoses, the contamination of the skin with bacterial and fungal pathogens significantly increases, which leads to a high risk of developing secondary infectious pathological processes. Treatment of dermatological inflammatory ear diseases includes careful daily hygiene of the external auditory canal and pharmacotherapy, a key aspect of which is the use of topical etiotropic, anti-inflammatory, and symptomatic drugs. The advantage of the combined drug candiderm is described, which, thanks to the unique combination of beclomethasone, gentamicin and clotrimazole in the composition, effectively relieves the symptoms of external ear dermatoses.

1064 nm Nd:YAG laser treatment of melanocytic nevi of the external auditory canal: a retrospective study of 15 cases

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of 1064 nm neodymium-doped yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser treatment of melanocytic nevus of the external auditory canal. Retrospective chart review of 15 patients operated by 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser in single center. Data from charts and video documentation were collected and analyzed. Between November 2017 and November 2018, 15 patients underwent 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser treatment for melanocytic nevus of the external auditory canal were analyzed in the study. The size of melanocytic nevus ranged from 4 to 8 mm in diameter. A gross total removed was achieved in all cases. Two patients received two sessions of Nd:YAG laser treatments, and the remaining thirteen patients received only one session. After laser treatment, wounds healing well and the average epithelialization time was 2.3 weeks. The mean follow-up was 12 months. There were no recurrence and adverse side effects in all cases. This research supports the use of 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser as a safe and efficacious treatment for melanocytic nevus of the external auditory canal.

A Population Based Analysis of Melanoma of the External Ear

OBJECTIVE

Malignant melanoma accounts for nearly 75% of all skin cancer deaths, and the incidence is on the rise in the United States. External ear melanoma (EEM) is rare, and there is little long-term data regarding the clinical behavior of this melanoma site. This study analyzes the demographic, clinicopathologic, and survival characteristics of EEM.

METHODS

The SEER database was queried for EEM cases from 1973 to 2012 (8,982 cases). Data analyzed included patient demographics, incidence trends, and survival outcomes.

RESULTS

External ear melanoma occurred most frequently in the sixth and seventh decades of life. Mean age at diagnosis was 65.5 (±16.8) years. However, the incidence of EEM in adolescents and young adults (ages 15-39 yr) has increased by 111.9% from 1973 to 2012. There was a strong male predilection with a male-to-female ratio of 6.40:1. The most common histologic subtype was malignant melanoma, NOS (46.8%), followed by superficial spreading melanoma (21.4%), and lentigo maligna melanoma (17.9%). The majority of cases were localized at the time of presentation (88.0%), with rare distant metastasis (1.9%). The most common treatment modality was surgery alone (97.6%), followed by surgery with radiotherapy (2.3%). Ten-year disease-specific survival was better among those treated with surgery alone (90.7%), than those treated with surgery with radiotherapy (37.1%) (p < 0.0001). Increasing Breslow's thickness and presence of an ulcerating lesion were both associated with poorer survival (p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

This study represents the largest cohort of EEM. It has an excellent survival outcome with surgery being the treatment of choice.