CME

Ear cartilage piercing is becoming common; hence family physicians will be encountering prob-lems with this fad. It is important that we deter-mine the best approach to deal with infections resulting from ear cartilage piercings. While most of us consider Staphylococcus aureus to be the primary infecting agent, it is not uncommon for cartilaginous ear piercings to become infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa.1 Special consideration should be given to these infections to minimize or avoid serious auricular chondritis, which can contribute to deformation of the external ear. Case description While in Thailand, a 21-year-old woman had her left upper ear cartilage pierced by a professional piercer. It was done in a sanitary environment in Koh Pha Ngan, Thailand, near the beach of Hat Rin. The ear was swabbed with an unknown solution and local anes