Depressed Skull Fracture

Rush, Beth

doi:10.1007/978-0-387-79948-3_233

Depressed Skull Fracture

Beth Rush⁵

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Definition

Depressed skull fracture is a fracture or break of the cranial bone that results in depression of the bone fragment into the underlying brain tissue.

Current Knowledge

This may result in bruising because of compression of the underlying brain tissue, or disruption to the underlying cerebral blood vessels. Individuals with depressed skull fracture may develop raccoon eyes, or a battle sign that tips the clinician off about the presence of a skull fracture. Depressed skull fracture is common after blunt trauma to the head (i.e., direct blow with a hammer or any other hard object).

Individuals with depressed skull fracture are at the increased risk of developing brain infection, as the brain tissue may be directly exposed to the outside environment. As such, emergent management of the skull fracture, with removal of bone fragment and appropriate dressing of the skull wound, is pursued, typically with surgical intervention.

Cross References

Battle Sign

Raccoon Eyes

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References and Readings

Braakman, R. (1972). Depressed skull fracture: Data, treatment, and follow-up in 225 consecutive cases. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, & Psychiatry, 35, 395–402.
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Graham, D. I., Saatman, K. E., Marklund, N., Conte, V., Morales, D., Royo, N., & McIntosh, T. K. (2006). The neuropathology of trauma. In R. W. Evans (Eds.), Neurology and trauma (2nd ed., pp. 45–94). New York: Oxford University Press.
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Victor, M., & Ropper, A. H. (2001). Principles of neurology (7th ed., pp. 925–953). New York: McGraw-Hill.
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Authors and Affiliations

Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Davis 4-N, 4500 San Pablo Road, 32224, Jacksonville, FL, USA
Beth Rush

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Beth Rush
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Editors and Affiliations

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and Professor of Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry Virginia Commonwealth University – Medical Center Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, VCU, 980542, Richmond, Virginia, 23298-0542, USA
Jeffrey S. Kreutzer
Kessler Foundation Research Center, 1199 Pleasant Valley Way, West Orange, NJ, 07052, USA
John DeLuca
Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and Neurology and Neuroscience, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey – New Jersey Medical School, New Jersey, USA
John DeLuca
Independent Practice, 564 M.O.B. East, 100 E. Lancaster Ave., Wynnewood, PA, 19096, USA
Bruce Caplan

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Rush, B. (2011). Depressed Skull Fracture. In: Kreutzer, J.S., DeLuca, J., Caplan, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79948-3_233

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79948-3_233
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-0-387-79947-6
Online ISBN: 978-0-387-79948-3
eBook Packages: Behavioral Science

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