title: Excision of the preauricular sinus: a comparison of two surgical techniques.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the long-term recurrence rate of the standard technique (simple sinectomy) and the supra-auricular approach (wide local excision) for the surgical management of preauricular sinuses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cohort.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-four patients with a preauricular sinus excised between May 1986 and December 1996 were included in this study. All patients were categorized into one of two groups based on the type of surgery performed: the standard technique or the supra-auricular approach. The medical records were then reviewed and the latest information concerning the recurrence of a preauricular sinus were updated by phone interview. The recurrence rate of these two groups was statistically analyzed by the Fisher exact test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-nine of 54 patients were successfully contacted with data updated and analyzed. The 32% recurrence rate of the standard excision (n = 25) was significantly higher than the 3.7% recurrence rate of the supraauricular approach (n = 27; two-tailed test, P = .01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The supra-auricular approach for excision of a preauricular sinus has a statistically lower recurrence rate in comparison to the standard technique.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, NT.
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Soo
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Wormald
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Van Hasselt
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000601:surgery*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004431:Ear, External / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012008:Recurrence; D012086:Reoperation