Trauma to the Skull Base

Skull base injuries are frequently associated with blunt trauma in comparison to penetrating injuries. The injuries varies from small linear fracture to major neurovascular injury and it depends on the magnitude and vector of the force. The injury can involve anterior, middle and posterior skull base and even the combination of all three. The clinically inaccessible location of the skull base makes the assessment of patients a real challenge. However, high degree of suspicion in trauma cases with improved imaging modalities have made evaluation of such cases relatively easy. The evaluation consists of primary, followed by secondary survey and follows the standard rule of trauma care.