Morphological characteristics of the auricular blood vessels related to idiopathic pseudocyst of the auricle.

We examined the actual circumstances of idiopathic pseudocyst of the auricle and morphological characteristics of the auricular vascular system, utilizing the serial sections of tissue blocks embedded in celloidin. While the origin of pseudocyst of the auricle is considered to have much to do with the vascular system, there are still many unknown factors regarding the auricular vascular system itself. The morphology of the proximal portion has been described in various documents, but the details have not yet been elucidated. In order to examine this, we made close observation of the auricular vascular system. The materials used consisted of eight auricles obtained from corpses for the anatomical dissection. Four auricles were macroscopically dissected and observed after being injected with dye into the vascular system, whereas the remaining four auricles were observed with a new staining process using the celloidin serial section method in which sections are alternatively stained with luxol fast blue-PAS-hematoxylin and modified Masson-Goldner stain. In the macroscopical observation of arteries being distributed in auricles, the arteries perforating the auricular cartilage mentioned in documents were not be confirmed. In the observation of the serial sections, capillary plexuses were able to be confirmed along the periphery, very close to the auricular cartilage. Pathohistological findings with regard to four cases of idiopathic pseudocyst of the auricles were examined and closely compared with the histological findings of normal cases. It was presumed that idiopathic pseudocyst of the auricles were caused by bendings or oppressions of auricles, which perhaps caused circulatory disturbance, leading ultimately to partial split of the auricular cartilage.