Deformity, cauliflower ear

Deformity, cauliflower ear: An acquired deformity of the external ear to which wrestlers and boxers are particularly vulnerable, caused by trauma. Bleeding under the skin of the ear creates a clot that 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. Treatment is to drain the hematoma (the blood clot) through an incision in the ear and apply a compressive dressing to sandwich the two sides of the skin against the cartilage. Prognosis: When treated promptly and aggressively, cauliflower ear is unlikely. Any delay in diagnosis leads to more difficulty in managing this problem and can leave greater ear deformity.