Durable response was achieved with cryotherapy.
Significant improvement with cryotherapy, uncovering the tissue loss from prior surgeries.
Massive Ear/Earlobe Keloids:
Semi-Massive Ear Keloids:
Semi-massive ear keloid is defined as having an ear keloid that measures larger than 50% of the longest diameter of the corresponding ear but not larger than the size of the ear. These keloids are exclusively seen in patients who have had prior keloid removal surgery. Repeated surgical excision of a previously treated keloid is the sole risk factor for development of semi-massive ear keloids.
Massive Ear Keloids:
Massive ear keloids are defined as those keloids that measure larger than the size of the ear. These keloids are exclusively seen in patients who have had multiple prior keloid removal surgeries, often in conjunction with radiation therapy. Repeated surgical excision of a previously treated keloid is the sole risk factor for development of massive ear keloids.
Treatment of massive and semi-massive ear keloids is rather challenging. Although cryotherapy is quite effective in reducing the mass of these keloids, the massive growth of the keloid tissue often times invades the adjacent anatomy, and often penetrated deep in the soft tissue surrounding the ear, making total removal of these keloids rather difficult. In addition, most these patients have undergone several prior surgeries, and almost all these patients suffer from noticeable loss of ear / earlobe tissue. Attempts at ear reconstruction in these patients is futile, as reconstruction of ear is associated with more surgical tissue damage and development of more keloids at all operative sites.
Click here to read a full publication by Dr. Tirgan about massive ear keloids.
Click here to read a case report by Dr. Tirgan of a patient with massive ear keloid.
Also, the videos shown below depict the nature and course of massive ear keloids.