Preauricular sinuses (also known as preauricular pits or preauricular cysts) are common congenital abnormalities that are typically small blind-ended openings near the ascending limb of the helix. These can be a simple pit or have a sinus tract and/or cystic component.
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Epidemiology
They are most common in East Asian populations with an incidence of 10% and less common in people of African descent (4%) and Caucasians (0.5%) 2.
Associations
Clinical presentation
They are often asymptomatic but patients may present if they become infected.
Pathology
Preauricular sinuses are thought to be from faulty fusion of the six auditory hillocks of His in the sixth week of gestation. These hillocks are located on the borders of the first and second branchial arches, and branchial cleft anomalies can be related 3.
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