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.
Liu-Shindo
M
M
Department of Otorhinolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery, Los Angeles County/University of Southern California Medical Center.
Hawkins
D B
DB
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*