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Contrecoup injury in patients with traumatic temporal bone fracture

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 April 2011

Z A Asha'Ari ,
R Ahmad ,
J Rahman ,
N Kamarudin  and
L Wan Ishlah
Z A Asha'Ari*
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, International Islamic University Malaysia, Jalan Hospital, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia
R Ahmad
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, International Islamic University Malaysia, Jalan Hospital, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia
J Rahman
Affiliation:
Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, International Islamic University Malaysia, Jalan Hospital, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia
N Kamarudin
Affiliation:
Department of Radiology, Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia
L Wan Ishlah
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, International Islamic University Malaysia, Jalan Hospital, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia
*
Address for correspondence: Dr Zamzil Amin Asha'Ari, Assistant Professor, Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, International Islamic University Malaysia, Jalan Hospital, 25100 Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia Fax: 609 5133615 E-mail: zamzilamin@yahoo.com
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Abstract

Objective:

To study the prevalence and patterns of contrecoup injury in traumatic temporal bone fracture cases.

Method:

A prospective, cohort study was undertaken of all patients with traumatic head injury admitted to a tertiary referral hospital in Malaysia within an 18-month period. High resolution computed tomography scans of the brain and skull base were performed in indicated cases, based on clinical findings and Glasgow coma score. Patients with a one-sided temporal bone fracture were selected and subsequent magnetic resonance imaging performed in all cases. Contrecoup injury incidence, type, severity and outcome were recorded.

Results:

Of 1579 head injury cases, 81 (5.1 per cent) met the inclusion criteria and were enrolled in the study. Temporal bone fractures were significantly associated with intracranial injuries (p < 0.001). The incidence of a contrecoup injury in cases with temporal bone fracture was 13.6 per cent. Contrecoup injury was significantly associated with petrous temporal bone fracture (p < 0.01). The commonest contrecoup injury was cerebral contusion, followed by extradural haematoma and subdural haematoma.

Conclusion:

Contrecoup injury is not uncommon in cases of temporal bone fracture, and is significantly associated with petrous temporal bone fracture.

Keywords

Temporal BoneSkull FracturesBrain InjuriesContrecoup InjuryDiagnosis

Information

Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 125 , Issue 8 , August 2011 , pp. 781 - 785
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2011

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