Ear tumor: Don't be subjective, handle promptly to avoid complications

The interdisciplinary surgical team of the Central Endocrinology Hospital coordinated to perform surgery for the patient.

Master, Doctor Ha Manh Hung, Head of the Ophthalmology-Otolaryngology-Dentistry Department (Central Endocrinology Hospital) said that through medical history, patient N. had recently undergone minor surgery to remove a tumor on the left ear at another medical facility. However, after surgery, the groove behind the left ear on the patient's old scar appeared swollen and leaking, with a cloudy white fluid flowing out. The skin and cartilage of the ear were firm.

About a week before being admitted to the hospital, patient N. noticed that the left ear incision was swollen, had fluid, fever, and pain, making the patient extremely uncomfortable and decided to go to the hospital for a re-examination.

According to Dr. Hung, in 2023, patient N. had thyroid cancer surgery at the Central Endocrinology Hospital with good treatment results. However, recently, the patient continued to be diagnosed with diabetes and high blood pressure and has not been treated stably.

“After examination, it was determined that the patient had a thick, wrinkled, discolored old surgical scar behind the ear, which would lead to a high risk of leaving an ugly scar for the second surgery. At the same time, the old surgical wound had a recurrent abscess, creating a multi-nodal fistula, making it difficult to clean the wound,” Dr. Hung shared.

To ensure safety and treatment effectiveness, the surgical team held an interdisciplinary consultation, coordinated with the diabetes specialist to control blood sugar and blood pressure before surgery, and coordinated with the Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery specialist to restore the shape of the ear, preventing hypertrophic scars or deformities (protruding or drooping ears).

After nearly 1 hour, the patient's interdisciplinary surgical team removed the entire tumor and reconstructed the earlobe using an autologous skin flap.

The patient had the entire tumor removed by the interdisciplinary surgical team and the ear flap was reconstructed using autologous skin flaps.

“This is an extremely difficult and rare case. Although the tumor size is not large, it must be performed on an old, swollen scar, with fluid discharge, located in the ear cartilage without muscle tissue, making it susceptible to infection and slow to recover. The patient also has underlying medical conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

During the procedure, if not monitored and performed carefully, the patient's condition can progress rapidly, become difficult to control, the wound healing process can be prolonged, and it can easily cause surgical site infection or recurrence. The treatment process is difficult, even causing serious complications and can be life-threatening," Dr. Hung shared.

After surgery, Mr. N.'s health was stable, blood sugar and blood pressure were stable. The surgical wound was not swollen, there was no discharge, the patient had no pain and the ear was not deformed (both sides were symmetrical), and the scar healed well.

Dr. Ha Manh Hung warns that although tumors and changes on the earlobes are mostly benign, the possibility of them being malignant cannot be ruled out. People need to see a doctor early and receive timely treatment to avoid affecting their health.

Particularly for patients with underlying medical conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure, patients need to control blood sugar and blood pressure well according to the doctor's regimen.

MINH HA

Source: https://nhandan.vn/khoi-u-vanh-tai-dung-chu-quan-xu-ly-kip-thoi-de-tranh-bien-chung-post891081.html