Surgical treatment of otohematoma
Case report
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31533/pubvet.v20n7e1979Keywords:
Dog, auricular hematoma, surgery, treatmentAbstract
Otohematoma, also known as auricular hematoma, is a common disorder affecting dogs and cats, with a higher prevalence in animals with pendulous ears. It is frequently diagnosed in the clinical and surgical routine of small animal practice. The condition is characterized by a painful, fluctuant swelling of variable size and location, typically involving the concave surface of the pinna. Otohematoma formation is associated with direct trauma, repetitive impact of the ear against the head caused by head shaking or scratching, coagulation disorders, parasitic infestations, allergic diseases, foreign bodies, and other conditions that lead to rupture of auricular blood vessels, often secondary to otitis-associated inflammation and pain. The main predisposing factors reported include ear conformation, breed, age, sex, and the presence of concurrent diseases. Diagnosis is based on clinical history and otoscopic examination findings, with surgical intervention remaining the treatment of choice. Currently, several surgical techniques and conservative approaches have been described for the management of otohematoma, yielding variable clinical outcomes. This case report describes the occurrence of otohematoma in a mixed-breed dog treated by surgical drainage through an S-shaped incision, followed by the application of a tension suture technique using sterile 1-cm catheter segments as stents. The proposed technique resulted in an excellent clinical outcome, providing complete drainage of the auricular hematoma, preventing residual blood accumulation between the auricular cartilages, and promoting complete healing of the pinna without tissue deformity.
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