TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2012//
TI  - Post-traumatic morbidity is frequent in children with frontobasilar fractures
JO  - International journal of pediatric otorhinolaryngology
A1  - Perheentupa, Ulla
A1  - Kinnunen, Ilpo
A1  - Grénman, Reidar
A1  - Aitasalo, Kalle
A1  - Karhu, Jari O.
A1  - Mäkitie, Antti A.
SP  - 670
EP  - 674
VL  - 76
IS  - 5
N2  - OBJECTIVE: Frontobasilar fractures are potentially life-threatening injuries also in pediatric populations, often due to associated intracranial trauma. This retrospective study was performed at a tertiary care university hospital to evaluate the management and outcome of pediatric frontobasilar fractures. The secondary aim was to re-evaluate the computerized tomography images to reveal all the skull base fracture sites predicting morbidity. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of all the 20 consecutive pediatric patients diagnosed with and treated for a frontobasilar fracture at the Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland during 1995-2010 was performed. The referral area of this tertiary care university hospital covers 750,000 inhabitants of whom approximately 20% are 18 years or younger. RESULTS: The mean annual incidence of frontobasilar fractures was 1.1 per 100,000 children aged 18 years and under. A road traffic accident was the most common etiological factor. Other factors included being hit by a heavy object, falling from a height, and falling to the ground. The mean Glasgow Coma Scale score was 10 and loss of consciousness was initially detected in 15 (75%) patients in the emergency unit. Twelve (60%) patients had an intracranial injury, 17 (85%) had facial bone fractures, and 15 (75%) had a fracture of the anterior cranial base. The middle cranial fossa and sella were affected in five (25%) of the patients. There seem to be no long-term neuroendocrine sequelae following brain injury, not even when the sella or the hypophyseal area was affected. Twelve (60%) patients were treated operatively. One patient died after one week of intensive care treatment. Only four (20%) patients had no post-traumatic implications, eight (40%) suffered from various long-term sequelae, and five (25%) had permanent neurological or neuropsychological sequelae. CONCLUSIONS: Frontobasilar fractures in childhood are rare and often associated with intracranial trauma and long-term morbidity. However, according to this study, 75% of the patients showed no permanent neurological or neuropsychological sequelae.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0165-5876
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijporl.2012.01.040
ID  - ref1
ER  -