Traumatic pneumocephalus: a hazard of resuscitators.
A patient with traumatic pneumocephalus following use of an oxygen-powered resuscitator with a face mask is presented. Pressures of 50 cm H2O delivered by the device apparently were sufficient to force air into the cranium through a fracture communicating with the nasal cavity. The authors feel that manual-powered resuscitators should be used on patients suspected of skull fracture.
D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011007:Pneumocephalus / Q000209:etiology*; D012151:Resuscitation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation; D012887:Skull Fractures / Q000150:complications*; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000293:injuries*