Definition of Cauliflower ear
Cauliflower ear: An acquired deformity of the external ear to which wrestlers and boxers are particularly vulnerable.
The cause is damage due to trauma. When trauma causes a blood clot
under the skin of the ear, the clot disrupts the connection of the
skin to the ear cartilage. The cartilage has no other blood supply
except the overlying skin so, if the skin is separated from the
cartilage, the cartilage is deprived of nutrients and dies and the
ear cartilage shrivels up to form the classic cauliflower ear.
The treatment of the hematoma (the blood clot) is to drain it through an incision in the ear and apply a compressive dressing to sandwich the two sides of the skin against the cartilage.
When treated promptly and aggressively, the development of cauliflower
ear deformity is unlikely. Delay in diagnosis and treatment leads to more difficulty in managing this problem and may leave greater ear
deformity.
Last Editorial Review: 1/26/2001
- Hematoma - Learn about a hematoma, a collection of blood outside a blood vessel. Types of hematomas include head, scalp, ear, septal, pelvic, intramuscular, subungual, and intra-abdominal.
- Fitness - Regular physical activity and fitness can reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, colon cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Fitness and physical activity also have other health benefits.
- Deafness, Hearing Loss - Hearing loss (deafness) may be present at birth or it may manifest later in life. Deafness may be genetic or due to damage from noise. Treatment of deafness depends upon its cause.
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