Conservative and surgical management of depressed, skull fractures

ABSTRACT

The aim of the study is to examine the efficacy of a conservative and surgical management of depressed fractures skull. A prospective study of 120 patients with depressed skull fractures treated at Bolan Medical Complex Hospital from December 2003 -2007. There were 108 males and 12 females, age range was 12 month to 80 years, and the mean age was 40 years. All patients underwent X-ray and cranial CT scan. Depressed fractures due to missile injuries were excluded from the study. Object fall on the head was the cause of depressed fracture in 30% of our patients, fall from a height in 19%, road traffic accident in 20%, sports injury in 10%, assault in 19.8% and suicidal attempt in 1.2%. Parietal bone was injured in 44%, frontal bone in 32%, temporal bone in 18% and occipital bone in 6%. Seventy-two percent were compound depressed fractures and 28% were simple depressed fractures. Eighty-four patients were managed conservatively, 56 patients with compound fractures [66.7%] and 28 patients [33.3%] with simple fractures. Significant extra-axial haematoma was the indication for elevation of the fracture in 40% of the surgical group, significant wound contamination, brain tissue and CSF in the wound in 5%, frontal sinus involved in 15%, cosmetic deformity in 25%, fracture on the superior sagittal sinus in 10% and right sided hemiplegia in 5%. Our study demonstrates that 70% of patients with depressed skull fractures can be safely managed conservatively without major surgical intervention