Skull base fractures: An institutional experience with review of literature

Abstract

Fractures of the skull base are relatively common. They have been reported to occur in 3.5–24.0 percent of head injury patients. This wide variation results from differences in studied patient populations and from difficulty of obtaining radiographic verifications of the fracture.¹ The Traumatic Coma Data Bank in a prospective series of severe head injury reported that 25% had basilar skull fractures.² In this paper we analyze the various types of fractures and their management.