Skull Fracture
Definition
Incidence
Symptoms
Evaluation
Treatment
Home Care
neuro checks
warning signs
Types
Anatomy
Trusted Sites
Skull Fracture Treatment
Treatment for a skull fracture may include:
Wound care
Apply a cold compress:
Wrap ice in a moist hand towel. Do not apply ice directly to the skin.
Apply for 20-30 minutes, every 1-2 hours, for the first few days.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications
for pain
Ibuprofen
Naproxen
Ketoprofen
Tetanus immunization
for wounds
Medications to control seizures
Intravenous
corticosteroids
for
head injury
:
To control brain
swelling
Surgery for severe skull fractures
Surgery for
depressed
skull fractures
Head injury
clinical trials
Continue to
Skull Fracture Home Care
Related Conditions
Brain contusion
Concussion
Epidural hematoma
Facial fracture
Orbital fracture
Subdural hematoma
Concussion Checkup
Head injury with laceration
Head injury without laceration
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Last Updated: Jul 13, 2009
References
Authors:
Stephen J. Schueler, MD
;
John H. Beckett, MD
;
D. Scott Gettings, MD
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DSHI Systems, Inc.
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Skull Fracture References:
Bullock MR, Chesnut R, Ghajar J, Gordon D, Hartl R, Newell DW, Servadei F, Walters BC, Wilberger J; Surgical Management of Traumatic Brain Injury Author Group. Surgical management of depressed cranial fractures. Neurosurgery. 2006 Mar;58(3 Suppl):S56-60; discussion Si-iv.
Edwards P, Arango M, Balica L, et al. CRASH trial collaborators. Final results of MRC CRASH, a randomised placebo-controlled trial of intravenous corticosteroid in adults with head injury-outcomes at 6 months. Lancet. 2005 Jun 4-10;365(9475):1957-9.
Grappling with traumatic brain injury. Lancet. 2007 Dec 8;370(9603):1879.
Lee AC, Ou Y, Fong D. Depressed skull fractures: a pattern of abusive head injury in three older children. Child Abuse Negl. 2003 Nov;27(11):1323-9.
McKinley J. New challenges in assessing and managing concussion in sports. Am Fam Physician. 2007 Oct 1;76(7):948-9.
Ropper AH, Gorson KC. N Engl J Med. 2007 Jan 11;356(2):166-72. Review. No abstract available. Erratum in: N Engl J Med. 2007 Apr 26;356(17):1794.
Smits M, Dippel DW, de Haan GG, Dekker HM, Vos PE, Kool DR, Nederkoorn PJ, Hofman PA, Twijnstra A, Tanghe HL, Hunink MG. External validation of the Canadian CT Head Rule and the New Orleans Criteria for CT scanning in patients with minor head injury. JAMA. 2005 Sep 28;294(12):1519-25.
Tender GC, Awasthi D. Risk stratification in mild head injury patients: the head injury predictive index. J La State Med Soc. 2003 Nov-Dec;155(6):338-42.
