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Which craniofacial fractures are associated with external auditory canal bleeding?
Chuan Lu1, Dongmei He2, Chi Yang3
1Resident, Department of Oral Surgery, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, China.
Summary
External auditory canal bleeding (EACB) is uncommon after facial trauma, occurring in 7.5% of cases. Skull base fractures and mandibular intracapsular condylar fractures are the primary causes of EACB.
Area of Science:
- Trauma Surgery
- Craniofacial Surgery
- Otolaryngology
Background:
- External auditory canal bleeding (EACB) is a recognized sign of craniofacial trauma.
- While strongly associated with skull base fractures, EACB can also result from other craniofacial injuries.
- Understanding the specific fracture types linked to EACB is crucial for diagnosis and management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the frequency of EACB across various craniofacial fracture types.
- To identify the specific craniofacial fractures most commonly associated with EACB.
- To analyze the causes of EACB in relation to fracture classification.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort study design.
- Inclusion of patients with craniofacial fractures treated between April 2006 and December 2011.
- Categorization of fractures into skull base, midface, and mandibular (with or without condylar involvement).
- Statistical comparison of EACB frequency using chi-squared test.
- Analysis of CT scans to ascertain EACB etiology.
Main Results:
- EACB occurred in 7.5% (43/573) of all craniofacial fracture cases.
- Skull base fractures showed a 15.4% EACB rate.
- Mandibular fractures with condylar involvement had a 13.3% EACB rate, predominantly from intracapsular condylar fractures (ICFs).
- Mandibular fractures without condylar involvement (1.3%) and midface fractures (0.7%) had significantly lower EACB rates.
- A significant difference in EACB frequency was observed between fractures with and without condylar involvement (P < .05).
Conclusions:
- External auditory canal bleeding (EACB) is an infrequent complication of craniofacial fractures.
- The incidence of EACB is significantly influenced by the type of craniofacial fracture sustained.
- Skull base fractures and mandibular intracapsular condylar fractures (ICFs) are the principal contributors to EACB.
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