Auricular chondritis is a disease difficult to treat successfully, and chondritis in the burned ear is more difficult to treat due to epidermal defects, dry crust and continuous edema. The authors managed 33 patients(42 cases) of auricular
chondritis in
the burned ear, and the following results were obtained:
1) The most common cause of chondritis was flame burn (31 cases),followed by one case of scalding burn and chemical burn.
2) The severity of facial burn was above deep second-degree in 94% of the cases.
3) The mean onset of chondritis appearing was 25.7 days after burn, and 71.5% was between 20 and 39 days after burn.
4) The main causative organisms were Pseudomonas aeruginosa in 78.6%. Staphylococcus aureus in 21.5%, and the others were Serratia marcescense. Actinebacter lowffii, and Enterobacter cloaca, in one case each.
5) Among the 42 cases, 12 cases were treated with topical antibiotic irrigation, and 30 cases by necrectomy with or without through & through polyethylene tube insertion.
6) Among 30 operated cases, 27 cases had gone operation once. 2l cases twice and 1 case three times.
7) The mean duration of hospitalization was 26.9 days.
8) Finally, 18 cases maintained nearly normal contour, 21 cases showed minor deformities. And 3 cases revealed severe deformities.
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