What Is Cauliflower Ear?

Cauliflower Ear is the layman's term for a condition in which the cartilage of a person's ear is denied oxygen, either due to a blunt trauma or the removal of skin from the cartilage. Once oxygen is denied to the ear cartilage, a deformity can result, which takes on the form of an ear of cauliflower. It can be a permanent condition, depending on when treatment takes place.

How It Forms

• Cauliflower Ear starts when the ear is struck hard enough for a blood clot to form under the skin or if the skin of the ear is torn away from the cartilage. The cartilage is what gives the ear its shape, and the cartilage needs oxygen in order to survive. Either one of these conditions will take oxygen away from the ear.

What Happens Next?

• Without the oxygen necessary to survive, the cartilage around the ear begins to die. As it dies, it starts to shrink or shrivel up. When this happens, the ear begins to take on the look of an ear of cauliflower, which is how the condition gets its name. Once the onset of cauliflower ear begins, it can become a permanent condition.

Treatment

• Because the condition can become permanent, treating the condition as soon as possible is key. Doctors will start by draining blood from the clot, as a way of relieving the pressure on that portion of the ear; treating whatever infection there may be; and reconnecting the skin to the cartilage. Antibiotics are usually administered in order to treat any post-treatment infections.

Who Is At Risk?

• The highest risk for this condition is with people who play a sport in which injuries to the ear can occur. The highest risk comes with boxing, in which there is potential for repeated blows to the head and ears. Other high-risk sports include football, baseball, hockey, cycling, rollerblading and wrestling.

Prognosis And Prevention

• If treated within a reasonable amount of time, deformity of the ear can be prevented. But any delay can lead to difficulty in treating the problem. To help prevent these sorts of injuries, doctors recommend the use of headgear during sporting events or activities in which blows to the head or ear can occur.