Prevalence of Preauricular Sinus among Nigerians

Preauricular Sinuses are congenital ear malformation noted on routine clinical examinations of individual most of whom are not bothered except when they are symptomatic. The study is to determine the prevalence of Preauricular Sinus among Nigerians attending the ear, nose and throat clinic of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), Ilorin, Nigeria. Randomly selected patients attending the ENT clinic of U.I.T.H Ilorin were examined for Preauricular Sinuses and information taken by administering questionnaires. They had audiological evaluations. The study design is analytical descriptive survey. Six hundred patients were examined and only 56 of them had preauricular sinus (9.3%). The age range was 1 to 45 years. The commonest age group was 18-30 years followed by 1-18 years. Males were more commonly affected with a male/female ratio of 1.3 to 1.0. The left ear was mostly affected (57%), right ear (36%) and was bilateral in (7%). The sinus were claimed to have been noticed shortly after birth (86%), after 10 years (11%) and never noticed (4%). Presence in other family member in 25%, absent in 21% and never noticed in 54%. Sinus infections of 3-5 episodes in a year were observed in only 7% and no infection in 93%. Complaints of discharge were present in only 11%, hearing loss in only 4%. None had renal complaints. Preauricular sinus repair was done in only 4 patents (7%). The prevalence of Preauricular sinus among Nigerians in Ilorin is 9.3% especially, among males on the left side. The condition is usually congenital, present at birth and might become apparent later in life. Common complications are infections and hearing loss but none had renal complications. The condition though rare should be treated surgically promptly once it is symptomatic. High index of suspicion of individuals with Preauricular sinus to monitor for infections, hearing loss and possible renal problem.