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. 2019 Apr;23(2):96-102.
doi: 10.7874/jao.2018.00339. Epub 2019 Mar 13.

Clinical Features of Fracture versus Concussion of the Temporal Bone after Head Trauma

Tae Hoon Kong  1 , Jae Woo Lee  1 , Yoon Ah Park  1 , Young Joon Seo  1
Affiliations

Clinical Features of Fracture versus Concussion of the Temporal Bone after Head Trauma

Tae Hoon Kong et al. J Audiol Otol. 2019 Apr.

Abstract

Background and objectives: Temporal bone fracture (TBF) is a common occurrence in cases of head trauma. Although the incidence of temporal bone concussion (TBC) has increased in cases of head trauma, it has not been extensively studied. We assessed the characteristics of TBF and TBC in patients with head trauma.

Subject and methods: We conducted a retrospective review of 432 patients with head injury who visited our hospital between January 2011 and April 2016. Of these patients, 211 who met the inclusion criteria were included in the study. Their clinical characteristics, causes of injury, and hearing function were analyzed.

Results: Among the 211 patients, 157 had TBFs and 54 had TBCs. Ear symptoms were more common among patients with TBF than among those with TBC. Car accidents were the most common cause of both TBF and TBC, but assault and sports injuries were more common among patients with TBC than among those with TBF. The occurrence of facial palsy in both cases of TBF and TBC. Hearing loss was observed among 35 patients with TBF and 11 patients with TBC. However, patients with TBF showed conductive hearing loss with an air-bone gap. Hearing function of these patients with TBF recovered with a reduced air-bone gap, but the patients with TBC showed little recovery.

Conclusions: Emergency physicians should focus more on temporal bone injury in patients with head trauma. Therefore, an early complete diagnostic battery, which includes high-resolution computed tomography, audiometric tests, neurologic examination, and vestibular tests, be performed in patients with head trauma.

Keywords: Craniocerebral trauma; Hearing loss ∙ Facial paralysis; Temporal bone.

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Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Flow diagram illustrating the selection of subjects with TBF and TBC. ER: emergency room, COM: chronic otitis media, TBCT: temporal bone computed tomography, TBC: temporal bone concussion, TBF: temporal bone fracture.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
Type of TBF. TBF: temporal bone fracture.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 3.
Prognosis of facial palsy in patients with TBF. H-B grade: House-Brackmann grade. TBF: temporal bone fracture.
Fig. 4.
Fig. 4.
Initial hearing level of in the TBF and TBC groups. TBC: temporal bone concussion, TBF: temporal bone fracture, AC: air conduction, BC: bone conduction.
Fig. 5.
Fig. 5.
Prognosis of hearing level in the TBF and TBC groups. A: Mean initial hearing level in the TBF group. B: Mean final hearing level in the TBF group. C: Mean initial and final hearing levels in the TBC group. TBF: temporal bone fracture, TBC: temporal bone concussion, BC: bone conduction, AC: air conduction.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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