title: Hemotympanums secondary to spontaneous epistaxis.
abstract: Three cases of hemotympanum that resulted from spontaneous, atraumatic epistaxis are presented. Hemotympanum is a well known physical finding associated with traumatic basilar skull fractures but has not been reported to follow spontaneous nose bleeds that have not been previously treated with nasal packing. A discussion of epistaxis and hemotympanum is presented, and their implication for emergency physicians is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Emergency Medicine, Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15212.
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hecker
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Zaiser
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001769:Blood; D004432:Ear, Middle; D004844:Epistaxis / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged