Chondrodermatitis Nodularis Antihelicis

A 66-year-old female’s left ear shows a nodule with shallow pink ulcerated top at the superior aspect of the antihelix. She believed this was a result of a mosquito bite five weeks prior, though she never actually saw nor identified an insect. She experienced hurting and burning at the site from its initial appearance. It was tender to touch.

The only pressure applied to the left ear was from the bed pillow sleeping at night. She did not use the left ear for telephoning. There was no other history of any trauma to the left ear.  

The lesion was elliptically excised under local anesthesia in the office. Skin edges were closed with simple 5-0 black silk sutures, which were removed after 1 week with good healing and no deformity. 

The pathology diagnosis was chrondodermatitis nodularis antihelicis, a variant of chondrodermatitis helicis where the lesion is on the antihelix instead of the helix.