title: Analysis of carotid artery injury in patients with basilar skull fractures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Determine the prevalence of carotid artery injury (CAI) in patients with basilar skull fractures and describe significant demographic and radiographic risk factors for CAI.
  
  
  METHODS
  From January 2004 to December 2008, medical records of 1,279 consecutive adult patients treated for basilar skull fractures at a tertiary care academic hospital were retrospectively reviewed. Diagnostic angiography was performed in 112 patients because of concern for CAI. Computed tomographic studies of the head and cranial base were reviewed for evidence of pneumocephalus, petrous carotid canal fractures, and sphenoid bone fractures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age of patients undergoing angiography was 38.7 years, and 85 patients (75.9%) were male subjects. Thirty-five (50%) of 70 discrete cerebrovascular injuries on angiography involved the carotid canal. The prevalence of CAI in patients with basilar skull trauma was 2.0%. CAI was associated with female sex (p = 0.001), whereas lower Glasgow Coma Scale score approached statistical significance (p = 0.07). Sensitivity and specificity of the 3 computed tomographic findings individually were 44% to 68% and 41% to 67%, respectively. With all 3 findings concurrently, 85% specificity and 80% negative predictive value for CAI were obtained, although sensitivity declined.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The frequency of CAI in patients with basilar skull fractures was higher than that in those without basilar skull involvement. Female sex was strongly associated with CAI. The intimate anatomic relationship between the carotid artery and the cranial base posit substantial diagnostic and therapeutic challenges for the contemporary cranial base surgeon, and thus, understanding the epidemiology and risk factors for CAI is of paramount importance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Cincinnati/Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267-0528, USA.
authors.forename: Gordon H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Nael M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Shoman
authors.forename: Ravi N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Samy
authors.forename: Myles L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Pensak
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D020212:Carotid Artery Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D020205:Skull Fracture, Basilar / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology