Temporal Bone Fractures and Related Complications in Pediatric and Adult Cranio-Facial Trauma: A Comparison of MDCT Findings in the Acute Emergency Setting.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to analyze the prevalence of and complications resulting from temporal bone fractures in adult and pediatric patients evaluated for cranio-facial trauma in an emergency setting.

METHODS

A retrospective blinded analysis of CT scans of a series of 294 consecutive adult and pediatric patients with cranio-facial trauma investigated in the emergency setting was conducted. Findings were compared between the two populations. Preliminary reports made by on-call residents were compared with the retrospective analysis, which was performed in consensus by two experienced readers and served as reference standard.

RESULTS

CT revealed 126 fractures in 116/294 (39.5%) patients, although fractures were clinically suspected only in 70/294 (23.8%); < 0.05. Fractures were longitudinal, transverse and mixed in 69.5%, 10.3% and 19.8% of cases, respectively. Most fractures were otic-sparing fractures (95.2%). Involvement of the external auditory canal, ossicular chain and the osseous structures surrounding the facial nerve was present in 72.2%, 8.7% and 6.3% of cases, respectively. Temporal bone fractures extended into the venous sinuses/jugular foramen and carotid canal in 18.3% and 17.5% of cases, respectively. Vascular injuries (carotid dissection and venous thrombosis) were more common in children than in adults (13.6% versus 5.3%); however, the observed difference did not reach statistical significance. 79.5% of patients with temporal bone fractures had both brain injuries and fractures of the facial bones and cranial vault. Brain injuries were more common in adults (90.4%) than in children (63.6%), = 0.001. Although on-call residents reliably detected temporal bone fractures (sensitivity = 92.8%), they often missed trauma-associated ossicular dislocation (sensitivity = 27.3%).

CONCLUSIONS

Temporal bone fractures and related complications are common in patients with cranio-facial trauma and need to be thoroughly looked for; the pattern of associated injuries is slightly different in children and in adults.