[Growing skullbase fracture--a case report with special reference to its pathogenesis].
This report describes a growing skullbase fracture in a six-year-old girl. She had a history of anterior skullbase fracture three years previously and meningitis two years later. She was referred to our hospital because of bacterial meningoencephalitis. Neuroimaging disclosed a bone defect and meningocele at the same site as the previous fracture. Although a growing skull fracture of the anterior cranial base is extremely rare, the reported cases include not only pediatric patients but also adults. Furthermore, posttraumatic pseudo-meningocele or encephalocele can be considered to be part of the same entity as growing skullbase fracture. Therefore, "weakness of surrounding tissue" seems to be another important factor as well as "the expanding force of the growing brain" and "dural tear", which are well-known to be essential in the growth of a fracture. Since a growing fracture at the anterior skullbase is difficult to identify from the outside, it is very important to follow-up changes in the fracture line from the acute stage of injury.
Department of Pediatrics, Kitakyushu Municipal Medical Center, Kokurakita-ku, Kitakyushu 802-0077, Japan.
Chieko
C
Nagata
Toshiro
T
Katsuta
Midori
M
Kenjo
Koutarou
K
Ukaji
Hiroyuki
H
Nakagaki
D002648:Child; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008588:Meningocele / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics; D019291:Skull Base / Q000293:injuries*; D012887:Skull Fractures / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*