Ear piercing and auricular chondritis caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Andersen, H.Terkel.
Ugeskrift for Laeger 164(44): 5145-5147
2002
ISSN/ISBN: 0041-5782 PMID: 12448163 Document Number: 550960
This paper describes five patients who had undergone transcartilaginous ear piercing and were infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which led to perichondrial abscess. Early treatment of chondritis with aggressive surgical therapy combined with relevant antibiotics results in good healing and a minimal loss of cartilage. The literature review and cases presented show that piercing is not harmless and that regulation of the piercing business would seem to be desirable.