Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 January 2011
Myofibrosis of the ear is rare. Myofibromas are mesenchymal tumours which usually present in infancy but have been reported sporadically in adults.
To present a rare case of trauma as a cause of pinnal myofibrosis.
Case report. A 29-year-old soldier suffered repeated trauma from helmet wear and sports, and presented to our clinic with an exquisitely painful lump in the anti-helix of the pinna.
The lump was excised uneventfully. Pathology revealed a reactive myofibroblastic proliferation which, given the history of trauma, raised the possibility of a florid cellular repair process. The main differential diagnosis was myofibroma. Immunohistochemistry was used to exclude other possible causes.
No similar case has previously been reported. The aetiology of myofibroma is unclear, but repeated trauma may be a trigger. Histological and immunohistochemical analysis are recommended when the diagnosis is ambivalent.