Trauma to the temporal bone: diagnosis and management of complications.

The temporal bone contains important sensory and neural structures that may be damaged in patients who experience craniofacial trauma. The most serious complications of temporal bone trauma include facial nerve paralysis, cerebrospinal fluid leak, and hearing loss. Injury to the temporal bone often presents with subtle signs and symptoms, such as otorrhea, facial palsy, and hemotympanum. A high index of suspicion and a thorough knowledge of how to diagnose injury to the temporal bone are paramount in treating patients who present to the emergency room with craniofacial trauma. This article provides an overview of temporal bone trauma, outlines a methodical approach to the patient with temporal bone trauma, details four cases, and describes the treatment of complications.