CONGENITAL deformities of the first branchial groove can usually be explained embryologically. The purpose of this paper is to present a case of a pinna displacement that eludes a straightforward explanation based on our present knowledge of embryology.
Developmental defects involving the branchial arches take many and varied forms of expression depending on whether they represent arrests in development, excessive growth, duplications, or actual malformations.1 The large number of anomalies of the first arch region has prompted clinicians to group several of the more commonly seen defects into syndromes such as Treacher Collins, Pierre Robins, Waardenburgs, etc, while other defects such as isolated ear anomalies are seen in such a large segment of our population that they escape actual assessment. The actual incidence of ear anomalies is almost impossible to determine because of the myriad forms that are seen. Congenital auricular fistulas, auricular appendages, variations in size and shape,