Question
How is a congenital preauricular fistula treated?
Answer
If a patient has a preauricular fistula infection without symptoms, treatment is not necessary. However, if there is infection and inflammation, antibiotic treatment or other anti-infection treatments should be administered, or purulent swelling may need to be incised and drained, along with regional dressing changes. After the infection is suppressed and the region is fully healed, surgery for fistula excision can be performed. Before the surgery, a small amount of methylene blue is infused into the fistula and a probe is inserted into the lumen as a guide. Then, the fistula and its branches are completely removed in one go. If part of the fistula remains infected after surgery, it becomes very difficult to perform another operation.