Contrecoup injury in patients with traumatic temporal bone fracture

• Main Authors: Asha'ari, Zamzil Amin, Raja Lope Ahmad, Raja Ahmad Al'konee, Ab Rahman, Jamalludin, Kamarudin, Norie Azilah, Wan Leman, Wan Ishlah
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press 2011
• Subjects: RF Otorhinolaryngology
• Online Access: http://irep.iium.edu.my/1804/1/contrecoup_Injury.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/1804/; http://www.jlo.co.uk/Contact-Us.aspx

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.