title: Occurrence, types and severity of associated injuries of paediatric patients with fractures of the frontal skull base.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To clarify the occurrence, sites, and types of associated injuries in paediatric patients with fractures of the anterior skull base.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis of files of 49 patients aged up to 18 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Associated injuries were observed in 91.8% of the patients. Observed most frequently were fractures of the skull vault (85.7%), brain injury (59.2%), facial fracture (42.9%), lung contusion (18.4%) and fractures of the upper extremities (14.3%). Multiple injuries were observed in 55.1% and polytrauma in 42.9%. The mortality rate was 10.2%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Paediatric patients with fractures of the anterior skull base frequently present with associated injuries, with many having, multiple associated injuries including polytrauma. These patients should be treated in multidisciplinary trauma units.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, Bern University Hospital and University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Benoit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schaller
authors.forename: Shuichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hosokawa
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Büttner
authors.forename: Tateyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iizuka
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Thorén
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003288:Contusions / Q000453:epidemiology; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000453:epidemiology; D005005:Ethmoid Sinus / Q000293:injuries; D005147:Facial Bones / Q000293:injuries; D005151:Facial Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005626:Frontal Sinus / Q000293:injuries; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055370:Lung Injury / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000453:epidemiology; D019838:Neck Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D009917:Orbital Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019291:Skull Base / Q000293:injuries*; D012887:Skull Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013100:Sphenoid Bone / Q000293:injuries; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000293:injuries