title: Management of Chondrodermatitis Nodularis Helicis: A Systematic Review and Treatment Algorithm.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chondrodermatitis nodularis helicis (CNH) is an idiopathic benign inflammatory painful condition of the ear. Still, to date, no study has yet evaluated nor compared treatments regarding their safety and efficacy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study is to review all available treatment modalities of CNH that were described in the literature, compare their efficacy and propose a treatment algorithm.
  
  
  METHODS
  A systematic review of the literature was conducted using Embase, Medline, and Cochrane databases. Articles studying the management of CNH that reported data on the cure rates were included in this review.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 29 studies were included in the review. The 3 most commonly reported treatments for CNH are surgery, pressure relief, and topical nitroglycerin. Surgery has higher cure rate (82%) compared with pressure relief treatment (37%) or nitroglycerin (51%) (p < .0001). Surgery should be considered as the first-line treatment for CNH. Second-line treatments include nonsurgical therapies, particularly nitroglycerin and pressure relief techniques, alone or in combination. Third-line treatments include newer or less studied methods.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among the treatment modalities, surgery showed the highest cure rates. Adequately designed randomized controlled trials are warranted to compare newer therapeutic methods.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Dermatology, Hotel Dieu de France Hospital; †Saint Joseph University, Faculty of Medicine, and Departments of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, ‡Dermatology, and §Ophtalmology, Hotel Dieu de France Hospital, Achrafieh, Lebanon; ‖Saint Joseph University, Factulty of Medicine, and Hotel Dieu de France Hospital, Achrafieh, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Elio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kechichian
authors.forename: Samer
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jabbour
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Haber
authors.forename: Youssef
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Abdelmassih
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tomb
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D002357:Cartilage Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D003872:Dermatitis / Q000628:therapy*; D004427:Ear Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans