Basilar skull fracture
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| ICD-10 | S02.1 |
|---|---|
| ICD-9 | 801.1 |
A basilar skull fracture (or "Basal skull fracture") is a linear fracture involving the base of the skull. They are rare, occurring as the only fracture in only 4% of severe head injury patients. Moreover, it is most often associated with leakage in the cerebrospinal fluid of the brain into the ear (CSF otorrhea) or the nose (CSF rhinorrhea).
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[edit] Anatomy
Basilar skull fractures commonly involve the roof of the orbits, the sphenoid bone, or portions of the temporal bone.
[edit] Clinical manifestations
- Battle's sign - is ecchymosis of the mastoid process of the temporal bone.
- Raccoon eyes - is periorbital ecchymosis i.e. "black eyes"
- Cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea
- Cranial nerve palsy
Bleeding from the nose and ears
[edit] Prognosis
Non-displaced fractures usually heal without intervention.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
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