Lesions of pinna in a tertiary care hospital in Dakshina Kannada

Introduction and Aim: Most of the lesions affecting pinna are cutaneous conditions. Those arising from the cartilage are extremely rare, whereas those from the soft tissue like vascular, stromal and adnexal components are relatively common. The present study aims at analysing the proportion, types, and categories of lesions affecting the pinna. Methods: Following institutional ethics committee approval, a retrospective analysis of medical records of 40 patients who underwent surgical excision of pinna lesions from 2006 to 2018 was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Dakshina Kannada, India. Lesions were grouped as benign adnexal, benign soft tissue, malignant lesions, and infection/inflammation. Results: Median age was 47.5 years and mode was 59 years. There were thirty (75%) males and ten (25%) females. The commonest lesions included epidermal cyst (25%), followed by seborrhoeic keratosis (17.5%), and squamous cell carcinoma (10%). Conclusion: A wide spectrum of entities affecting the pinna were encountered in the present study. Superficial cystic lesions are the most frequent type found in pinna and are amenable to simple excision. Benign neoplasms require surgical intervention; malignancy is also to be kept in mind while making a clinical diagnosis, necessitating wide clearance with or without neck dissection. Early intervention and confirmation of diagnosis by histopathological examination helps not only in successful management but also in preventing disfigurement and psychosocial complications.