Hidrocystoma of the external auditory canal: a case report

BACKGROUND: Apocrine hydrocystomas arising in the external auditory canal are very rare. In this report a clinical case of apocrine hydrocystoma located in the cartilaginous part of the external auditory canal is presented. CASE PRESENTATION: A 64-year-old Caucasian female patient presented with a solitary nodule, located in the outer part of the external ear canal after repeated episodes of external otitis. For diagnostic purposes, computerized tomography was used. The patient underwent an excisional biopsy of the mass via an intra-aural incision and the surgical specimen was sent for histopathologic examination. CONCLUSION: An apocrine hidrocystoma inside the auricular canal is uncommon. It can cause recurrent external otitis and conductive hearing loss and should be treated with wide local excision and reconstruction of the external auditory canal for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.