Section: Information In-depth
Very few other medical problems resemble an aural hematoma. The fluid-filled swelling of the pinna is characteristic. Occasionally, an abscess or a tumor of the pinna might have a somewhat similar appearance.
Abscess
An abscess may occur secondary to a penetrating foreign body or a bite wound. An infection could become established between the cartilage plates leading to the formation of a pocket of pus. Differentiation from a hematoma is simple, using needle aspiration. The abscess produces yellow or green pus; the hematoma yields blood.
Tumor
A tumor of the pinna requires needle aspiration to obtain cells for examination on a slide, under a microscope. Differentiation between a bloody or fluid-filled tumor from a hematoma may be possible with this technique. Failing this, a biopsy specimen may be obtained. Tumors of the pinna are normally firm, fleshy or ulcerative (bleeding) and, therefore, quite different from an aural hematoma.
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