Journal article
Comparison between cartilage and soft tissue ear piercing complications
American journal of otolaryngology, Vol.19(5), pp.305-310
1998
DOI: 10.1016/S0196-0709(98)90003-5
PMID: 9758178
Abstract
Purpose: Despite growing interest in cosmetic piercing, a detailed evaluation of associated medical complications is lacking.
Materials and Methods: A questionnaire addressing ear, nose, and other body parts piercing was anonymously presented to 1,000 nurses at a major Midwestern teaching hospital, and responses were obtained from 552.
Results: One hundred sixty (35%) of the 452 nurses who had an ear pierced reported a complication. Three hundred fifty-five (30%) of the 1,200 total pierced sites developed complications that included minor infection (77%), allergic reaction (43%), keloid (2.5%), and traumatic tear (2.5%). The complication rate from piercing through cartilage (32%) was not significantly different from that found when piercing through soft tissue (29%). The type of complications experienced differed in frequency between cartilage and soft tissue, with minor infection being more prevalent in cartilage piercing (30%
v21%;
P < .10) and allergic reaction found more frequently in soft tissue piercings (13%
v4%;
P < .025).
Conclusion: This study identifies a low prevalence of major complications (<1%) and a relatively high prevalence of minor complications (30%) associated with ear piercing. The expected increase in complications and morbidity of piercing through cartilage was not found in this study.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Comparison between cartilage and soft tissue ear piercing complications
- Creators
- Timothy C Simplot - From the Department of Otolaryngology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USAHenry T Hoffman - From the Department of Otolaryngology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- American journal of otolaryngology, Vol.19(5), pp.305-310
- Publisher
- Elsevier Inc
- DOI
- 10.1016/S0196-0709(98)90003-5
- PMID
- 9758178
- ISSN
- 0196-0709
- eISSN
- 1532-818X
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 1998
- Academic Unit
- Radiation Oncology; Otolaryngology
- Record Identifier
- 9984006427602771
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