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Prevalence of ‘surfer's ear’ in Cornish surfers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 March 2015

B Attlmayr  and
I M Smith
B Attlmayr*
Affiliation:
ENT Department, Aintree University Hospital, Liverpool, UK
I M Smith
Affiliation:
ENT Department, Royal Cornwall Hospital, Truro, UK
*
Address for correspondence: Mr Bernhard Attlmayr, Aintree University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Aintree University Hospital, Longmoor Lane, Liverpool, L97AL, UK Fax: 0151 282 6177 E-mail: bernhard.attlmayr@aintree.nhs.uk
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Abstract

Objectives:

To establish the prevalence of external auditory canal exostosis (‘surfer's ear’) in Cornish surfers and investigate the potential impact on healthcare.

Method:

A total of 105 surfers were interviewed and otologically assessed on popular Cornish beaches. The degree of exostosis was graded as mild, moderate or severe.

Results:

The prevalence of external auditory canal exostosis was 63.81 per cent (33.33 per cent mild, 18.10 per cent moderate and 12.38 per cent severe). The degree of exostosis showed a significant correlation with absolute cold-water exposure time. However, there was individual variation in susceptibility to external auditory canal exostosis; 12 per cent of surfers with excessive cold-water exposure showed no exostosis. Regression analysis of surgical operations performed at the Royal Cornwall Hospital for exostosis over the last 13 years revealed an average increase of 1.23 operations per year, with an average of 13 cases per year over the last 9 years.

Conclusion:

Exostosis of the external auditory canal is common in Cornish surfers. There appears to be individual variation in terms of susceptibility to this condition. The possible reasons for this are discussed. The increase in the technically difficult surgical operations performed for exostosis is likely to have implications for health resources in the future.

Keywords

External Auditory CanalExostosesPrevalence
Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 129 , Issue 5 , May 2015 , pp. 440 - 444
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2015 

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Footnotes

Presented at the South West ENT Academic Meeting, 8 June 2012, Bath, UK.

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