Recently, with the vigorous sports such as amature wrestling and judo, the incidence of "cauliflower ear" have increased.
On the pathogenesis of the development of so called "cauliflower ear" deformity there are two generally accepted theories.
One group of authors believes that the hematoma formation occurs intracrtilagenously resulting deformity of the cartilage the others believe that the site of the hematoma formation lies between the cartilage and perichondrium. In the latter group there are those who believe that the end sero-sanguinous fluid collection leads to a fibrous tissue formation while the others argue that an abnormal and excessive amount of new cartilage is produced from the injured cartilage.
The aim of this study is to invest whether the hematoma which is located above perichondrium can induce excessive chondrial regeneration resulting ear deformity or not.
The study was carried out on the ear cartilages of 5 month-old rabbits. Skin flap was made to expose the anterior perichondrium of the both rabbit’s ear. The first group had 1.0㎖ of saline instilled above the perichondrium, The secone grpup 1.0ml of blood was instilled obtained from the rabbits.
In the third and fourth group, an incisional injury was made to the perichondrium with a #15 knife blade, and saline and blood was instilled above the injured perichondrium in each group respectively.
Finally, the skin flap was sutured back in place with5-0 black silk.
On the 1, 2, 4, 6 weeks following surgery, the gross and histologic findings of the cartilage were observed, and the results as follows;
1. When hematoma was present above the injured perichondrium, over-growth of ear cartilage could develop even in intact state of cartilage.
2. The over-growth of the cartilage seems from the perichondrium and not from the fibrosis of the hematoma.
3. When the perichondrium is injured perichondrial regeneration occurs, but it does not lead to over-growth.
4. In the absence of perichondrial injury, the formation of a hematoma subcutaneously above the perichondrium does not lead to cartilage growth.
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