Patient's question:
In June 2008, my doctor diagnosed me with a congenital preauricular fistula, and I had surgery that same month. Recently, I've noticed that the wound has become red and swollen again, though it's not very painful. I've read online that this condition can recur, so I'd like to ask the doctor if a second surgery is necessary. Are there any non-surgical methods available? Please reply as soon as possible. Thank you very much for your help!Doctor's answer:
The characteristic of preauricular fistula is that it is prone to recur after surgery. The reason is that there may be multiple animal-like tentacle-like structures at the root, some of which are very long and difficult to remove completely. If there is a secondary purulent infection, mild cases can be observed; if there is frequent recurrent infection, even forming an abscess, it may require a second surgery. Of course, if the doctor has more experience, the possibility of recurrence can be reduced, but it cannot be guaranteed that it will not recur.