Basilar skull fractures in children.
In this paper we are reporting a retrospective study of patients under 18 years of age managed at the Los Angeles County/University of Southern California Medical Center from January 1979 through December 1987 with the diagnosis of basilar skull fracture. Sixty-two patients with basilar skull fractures were admitted during that 7 1/2 year period. The most common etiology was pedestrain versus vehicle accidents (42%), followed by falls (27%), vehicle accidents (23%), and being hit by an object (8%). The most common physical findings were hemotympanum (58%) and bleeding in the ear canals (47%). Thirty-four percent of the patients complained of hearing loss. Cerebrospinal fluid otorrhea was noted in 16 patients (26%), while only 1 patient had cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea. Facial nerve paralysis was present in 8 patients (13%). Vestibular symptoms were rare. Sixty-three percent of the patients had the diagnosis confirmed by radiography. The clinical presentation, complications, management and outcome of basilar skull fractures in the pediatric population are discussed.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery, Los Angeles County/University of Southern California Medical Center.
M
M
Liu-Shindo
D B
DB
Hawkins
D000293:Adolescent; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D002558:Cerebrospinal Fluid Otorrhea / Q000209:etiology; D002559:Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004432:Ear, Middle / Q000293:injuries; D005004:Ethmoid Bone / Q000293:injuries*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005624:Frontal Bone / Q000293:injuries*; D006314:Hearing Loss, Conductive / Q000209:etiology; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015141:Los Angeles; D008297:Male; D009777:Occipital Bone / Q000293:injuries*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012887:Skull Fractures / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D013100:Sphenoid Bone / Q000293:injuries*; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000293:injuries*