Basal Skull Fractures

A basal skull fracture is a fracture that isn’t clinically apparently, instead indicated by:

• Haemotympanum (blood from the ear canal or behind the ear drum)

• ‘Panda / Racoon Eyes’ – swollen, black or bruised eyes without direct eye trauma

• Fluid from the ear (cerebrospinal fluid leak)

• ‘Battles Sign’ – bruising over the mastoid process (crescent shaped usually), which can be unilateral or bilateral.