Ear burns are prone to chondritis.

• A. Chondritis
• B. Otitis media
• C. Hearing loss
• D. Scarring

Answer: (A)

Burns to the external ear primarily threaten the cartilage-rich auricle. Cartilage itself has limited blood supply and relies on the surrounding perichondrium for nutrients and healing. When a burn damages the perichondrium, cartilage can become deprived of nutrients and more susceptible to infection, leading to inflammation of the cartilage—chondritis. This makes chondritis the most likely and direct complication after an ear burn.

Otitis media involves the middle ear, not the external ear, so it isn’t a typical direct burn complication. Hearing loss and scarring can occur with ear trauma in general, but chondritis specifically reflects the inflammatory process of the cartilage itself, which is the classic risk after a burn to the ear.