Intralesional triamcinolone injections for the treatment of preauricular sinus infections

Objectives The aim of this study is to confirm the effect of adjuvant intralesional triamcinolone acetonide injections (TRIAM) for the treatment of an infected preauricular sinus (PAS). Methods The medical charts of 103 patients diagnosed with PAS from March 2013 to December 2015 were reviewed and documented. The mean duration of treatment and postoperative follow-up period were compared between patients who received TRIAM and patients who received conventional treatment. Results Fifteen patients received TRIAM. The mean duration of treatment was 12.5 ± 11.0 days in patients treated with TRIAM, which was significantly shorter than patients without TRIAM (25.5 ± 25.7 days, p = 0.010). In addition, the percentage of patients experiencing early recovery (within 10 days) was 4.15 times higher with TRIAM (95% confidence interval: 1.07–16.13, p = 0.040). The mean postoperative follow-up period revealed a similar tendency; patients treated with TRIAM required a shorter follow-up period (8 ± 2.6 days) than patients not treated with TRIAM (13.5 ± 7.4 days). However, this difference was not significant (p = 0.242). Conclusion Although the sample was small, patients with PAS infections who were treated with TRIAM as an adjuvant therapy required a significantly shorter treatment duration than patients receiving conventional treatment alone. This finding suggests a beneficial effect of TRIAM for the short-term control of PAS infections. Clinicians should consider TRIAM as an adjuvant treatment option.