Post Traumatic Cranial Neuropathies V, VII, and VIII

The exact incidence of damage to each cranial nerve varies depending on patient selection, type of injury, and length of follow-up; but there is general agreement that of the lower cranial nerves, the facial nerve and audio-vestibular nerves are damaged most often by blunt head injuries. Basilar skull fractures are frequently associated with these cranial neuropathies. The vector of the force of the blow and the associated type of fracture dictates the clinical symptoms and signs. The presence and location of fractures generally determine the prognosis for functional recovery. An accurate identification of some fracture types, i.e.. transverse fractures in the temporal bone, is requisite to optimal management of patients as the presence of such fracture may dictate early surgical intervention.