Publication:

Epidermoid cyst of earlobe: a common cyst at an uncommon site

Epidermoid cysts are frequently encountered cutaneous cysts. They are mostly tiny and benign swellings. But rarely they can grow huge in size and malignant transformation can also occur occasionally. Cosmetic disfigurement is also another important concern especially in head and neck region. We report a case of earlobe epidermoid cyst, a location where very few cases have been described in the literature. The cyst was completely excised and the wound was closed with nylon 4/0. Histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of an epidermoid cyst. The patient did not have any signs of recurrence even after six months postoperatively. Due to the possibility of malignant transformation and to ensure correct diagnosis, we consider that histopathological examination is necessary for all cysts although the clinical diagnosis could be enough.