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A skull fracture is a break in one or more of the eight bones that form the cranial portion of the skull, usually occurring as a result of blunt force trauma.If the force of the impact is excessive, the bone may fracture at or near the site of the impact and cause damage to the underlying structures within the skull such as the membranes, blood vessels, and brain.
Disturbance of vision and equilibrium may also occur. Common symptoms of head injury include coma, confusion, drowsiness, personality change, seizures, nausea and vomiting, headache and a lucid interval, during which a patient appears conscious only to deteriorate later. [14] Symptoms of skull fracture can include:
It is typically caused by a basilar skull fracture, which presents complications such as infection. It may be diagnosed using brain scans (prompted based on initial symptoms), and by testing to see if discharge from the nose is cerebrospinal fluid. Treatment may be conservative (as many cases resolve spontaneously), but usually involves ...
Battle's sign, also known as mastoid ecchymosis, is an indication of fracture of middle cranial fossa of the skull. These fractures may be associated with underlying brain trauma. Battle's sign consists of bruising over the mastoid process as a result of extravasation of blood along the path of the posterior auricular artery. [1]
Skull x-ray or CT scanning is used if neurological symptoms appear. These measurements are also used if concomitant depressed skull fracture is a possibility. Usual management is mainly observation. Phototherapy may be necessary if blood accumulation is significant leading to jaundice. Rarely, anaemia can develop needing blood transfusion.
Closed-head injury is a type of traumatic brain injury in which the skull and dura mater remain intact. Closed-head injuries are the leading cause of death in children under 4 years old and the most common cause of physical disability and cognitive impairment in young people.
Fractures with displacement require surgery consisting of fracture reduction with miniplates, microplates and screws. Gillie's approach is used for depressed zygomatic fractures. [5] The prognosis of tripod fractures is generally good. In some cases there may be persistent post-surgical facial asymmetry, which can require further treatment. [6]
A basilar skull fracture is a break of a bone in the base of the skull. [1] Symptoms may include bruising behind the ears , bruising around the eyes , or blood behind the ear drum . [ 1 ] A cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak occurs in about 20% of cases and may result in fluid leaking from the nose or ear . [ 1 ]