Bone Fractures

Bone fractures, or temporal bone trauma, are usually caused by blunt head injury. Damage to the temporal bone usually requires a significant amount of force and can cause fracture, hemorrhage, nerve trauma, vascular damage or disruption of middle or inner ear structures.

Potential complications of such fractures include infection (meningitis), hearing loss, facial and other cranial nerve injury, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak and perilymphatic fistula.

It is critical to identify bone trauma early to initiate management of the injury and avoid complications. A CT scan can show detailed images of fractures and any related complications. Surgery may be required to treat the complications.