Chondrodermatitis nodularis chronica helicis (CNCH) is a small, nodular, tender, chronic inflammatory

lesion A lesion is any damage or abnormal change in the tissue of an organism, usually caused by injury or diseases. The term ''Lesion'' is derived from the Latin meaning "injury". Lesions may occur in both plants and animals. Types There is no de ...

occurring on the

helix A helix (; ) is a shape like a cylindrical coil spring or the thread of a machine screw. It is a type of smooth space curve with tangent lines at a constant angle to a fixed axis. Helices are important in biology, as the DNA molecule is for ...

of the ear, most often in men. it often presents as a benign painful

erythema Erythema (, ) is redness of the skin or mucous membranes, caused by hyperemia (increased blood flow) in superficial capillaries. It occurs with any skin injury, infection, or inflammation. Examples of erythema not associated with pathology inc ...

tous nodule fixed to the cartilage of the helix or antihelix of the external ear. Although the exact cause of the condition is unknown, it has been linked to head pressure on the ear while sleeping. Treatment options include the use of pressure-relieving devices or, in cases where that is not an option, surgery.

Causes

The cause of CNCH is unknown. Nonetheless, a number of variables are thought to be involved in the development of CNCH, with the onset being associated with microtrauma, prolonged high pressure, or dermal ischemia.

Risk factors

Elastic tissue loss, vascular and

connective tissue Connective tissue is one of the four primary types of animal tissue, a group of cells that are similar in structure, along with epithelial tissue, muscle tissue, and nervous tissue. It develops mostly from the mesenchyme, derived from the mesod ...

degradation, and skin and

cartilage Cartilage is a resilient and smooth type of connective tissue. Semi-transparent and non-porous, it is usually covered by a tough and fibrous membrane called perichondrium. In tetrapods, it covers and protects the ends of long bones at the joints ...

thinning are all brought on by aging. The onset of CNCH symptoms may be related to the cartilage's increased susceptibility to pressure damage as it ages and loses some of its flexibility. Additionally, older adults typically move less while they sleep, which puts even more pressure on the ear.

Epidemiology

Chondrodermatitis nodularis chronica helicis is relatively rare, but it prefers fair-skinned men between the ages of 40 and 80. Despite the fact that women are affected by CNCH, the reported male to female ratio is 10 to 1. CNCH usually affects one side of the body, although reports of bilateral lesions have indicated an incidence of 3% to 7%. After developing CNCH on the contralateral ear, patients who switch their sleeping side typically develop bilateral lesions. Furthermore, CNCH can affect people of any age; cases involving children and teenagers have been documented.

References

External links

DermNet

StatPearls
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Causes

Risk factors

Epidemiology

See also

References

Further reading

External links