eMedicine Specialties > Neurosurgery > Trauma

Skull Fracture: Follow-up

Author: Nazer H Qureshi, MD, Chief of Brain and Spine Tumor Service, Baptist Health System, North Little Rock
Coauthor(s): Griffith Harsh IV, MD, Professor, Director of Neurosurgical Oncology, Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford Medical Center, Stanford University School of Medicine
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Nov 10, 2009

Outcome and Prognosis

Although skull fractures carry a significant potential risk of cranial nerve and vascular injuries and direct brain injury, most skull fractures are linear vault fractures in children and are not associated with epidural hematoma. Most skull fractures, including depressed skull fractures, do not require surgery. Hence, all of the potential complications listed are associated with a graver prognosis if the primary fracture is missed during the diagnostic workup.

Future and Controversies

Controversy exists in the use of antibiotics for fractures and the need to elevate a depressed skull fracture. The use of antibiotics generally is not required unless the open fracture is obviously contaminated. Similarly, whether to elevate a depressed skull fracture is mostly the surgeon's choice, dictated by the need for cosmesis.23

The use of resorbable bone plates cross-linked with Bone matrix protein-2 (BMP-2) is touted as a novel method of delivery and may enhance fracture healing.24 Another delivery system with scaffolds that deliver plasmid DNA encoding for bone morphogenetic protein-4 (BMP-4) has been tested in rodents and has shown promise.

 


More on Skull Fracture

Overview: Skull Fracture
Workup: Skull Fracture
Treatment: Skull Fracture
Follow-up: Skull Fracture
Multimedia: Skull Fracture
References
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References

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Further Reading

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Keywords

skull fractures, linear skull fractures, basilar skull fractures, temporal fractures, depressed skull fractures, skull trauma, occipital condylar fractures, linear fractures, depressed fractures, vault fractures, fractures

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Nazer H Qureshi, MD, Chief of Brain and Spine Tumor Service, Baptist Health System, North Little Rock
Nazer H Qureshi, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Association of Neurological Surgeons, American College of Surgeons, Congress of Neurological Surgeons, and World Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Griffith Harsh IV, MD, Professor, Director of Neurosurgical Oncology, Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford Medical Center, Stanford University School of Medicine
Griffith Harsh IV, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Association of Neurological Surgeons, American College of Surgeons, American Medical Association, California Medical Association, Neurosurgical Society of America, North American Skull Base Society, and Phi Beta Kappa
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Michael G Nosko, MD, PhD, Chief, Division of Neurosurgery, Director of Neurovascular Surgery, Medical Director of Neuroscience Unit, Associate Professor, Department of Surgery, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
Michael G Nosko, MD, PhD is a member of the following medical societies: Academy of Medicine of New Jersey, Alpha Omega Alpha, American Association of Neurological Surgeons, American College of Surgeons, American Heart Association, American Medical Association, New York Academy of Sciences, and Society of Critical Care Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: eMedicine Salary Employment

Managing Editor

Allen R Wyler, MD, Former Medical Director, Northstar Neuroscience, Inc
Allen R Wyler, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Neurological and Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Association of Neurological Surgeons, and Society of Neurological Surgeons
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Paolo Zamboni, MD, Professor of Surgery, Chief of Day Surgery Unit, Chair of Vascular Diseases Center, University of Ferrara, Italy
Paolo Zamboni, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Venous Forum and New York Academy of Sciences
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Allen R Wyler, MD, Former Medical Director, Northstar Neuroscience, Inc
Allen R Wyler, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Neurological and Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Association of Neurological Surgeons, and Society of Neurological Surgeons
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

 
 
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