KUMJ | VOL. 22 | NO. 2 | ISSUE 86 | APRIL - JUNE, 2024
Mirror Ear: A Rare Case of Polyotia
Amatya N, Shrestha BL, Karmacharya S, Sapkota N, Subba S
Abstract: Polyotia is an anomaly of the external auricle in which the accessory auricle is large
enough to closely resemble an additional pinna rather than a skin remnant and
cartilage. Polyotia, also known as mirror ear or accessory ear, is a type of ear anomaly
in the tragus area, but the term refers to substantial anomalies which resemble an
accessory ear, unlike a pre-auricular tag. It is an extremely rare condition and to
date, less than 30 cases of polyotia have been reported according to a review of
the literature. A variety of theories has been proposed for development of such
abnormal external auricle.
We report two cases of polyotia which presented to Dhulikhel Hospital ENT OPD
that was successfully corrected surgically. An 8-year-old boy and a 14-year-old boy
presented with a large accessory anomalous auricle on left and right ear respectively.
The accessory auricle was composed of an elastic cartilaginous component covered
with skin and was positioned anteriorly to the original auricle in both the cases.
The anomaly was not as large as the patient’s external auricle, rather it mirrored
the external auricle. On the opposite ear both the cases presented with preauricular
skin
tag.
Surgical
correction
was
done
by
dissecting
the
skin
free
from
the
duplicated
cartilage
via
an
incision
along
the
free
edge
of
the
helix
the
duplicated
cartilage
was contoured to fill the pre-tragal hollow and the tragus reconstructed
with a free cartilage graft.
Keyword : Accessory auricle, Accessory ear, Duplicated pinna, Mirror ear, Polyotia