A Study of Otological Manifestations of Temporal Bone Fractures

The aim of study was to evaluate various otological manifestations of temporal bone fractures and to suggest their management. This prospective observational study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital of Armed Forces over 2.5 years in 57 cases of temporal bone fracture in patients of age group of 12-59 yrs comprising 49 males and 8 females. Radioimaging was done for diagnosing the fracture, mapping its extent and for clinical correlation. Hearing was assessed by tuning forks, free field hearing and pure tone audiogram as per the fitness of patient. Majority of patients were in the age group 20-40 years who had met with road accidents. Important otological features included Battle sign (24.6%), ear canal laceration (53%), tympanic membrane perforation (7%), haemotymanum (40%), ear discharge (66.7%), hearing loss (63%), vertigo (16%), tinnitus (21%), facial paralysis (68%) and cerebrospinal fluid otorrhea (3.5%). Otic capsule sparing fracture was three times more common than violating ones. Facial palsies were treated with oral steroid with complete recovery in 56.41% cases but three required decompression surgery. 4 patients underwent tympanoplasty. Both the cerebrospinal fluid leaks stopped in 2 weeks time. Facial palsy is as common as hearing loss. TM perforation is as rare as CSF leak. Otic capsule violating fracture line is less common. Hearing loss shows recovery in most of the cases. Delayed onset positional vertigo is more common than acute vertigo. Large numbers of immediate onset complete facial palsy do recover from injury without surgery.