title: Auricular seroma in a preterm infant as a severe complication of nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP).
abstract: Nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) in preterm infants is closely linked to improvements in the primary management of respiratory failure. We report on a severe complication involving the external ear, which is usually covered by the fixing straps of the nCPAP application system. The very low birthweight infant (233/7 weeks' gestation) was treated with nCPAP for more than 2 months. At the age of 51 days, the child developed a fluctuating seroma of the right external ear. Applied surgical treatments including punctation and compression of the ear resulted in full recovery after 3 months. Due to shearing forces associated with straps used for attaching the nasal application system, the infant developed a severe auricular trauma. Ear trauma can be minimised by careful padding of these straps. Continuous monitoring of the nCPAP-system, including the straps, is required.
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital, Department of Neonatology, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann Strasse 9, D-50923 Cologne, Germany. frank.eifinger@t-online.de
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Eifinger
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lang-Roth
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Woelfl
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kribs
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Roth
mesh_terms: D045422:Continuous Positive Airway Pressure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004431:Ear, External / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008297:Male; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000628:therapy*; D049291:Seroma / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index