Abstract
Traumatic injuries to the skull base can involve critical neurovascular structures
and present with symptoms and signs that must be recognized by physicians tasked with
management of trauma patients. This article provides a review of skull base anatomy
and outlines demographic features in skull base trauma. The manifestations of various
skull base injuries, including CSF leaks, facial paralysis, anosmia, and cranial nerve
injury, are discussed, as are appropriate diagnostic and radiographic testing in patients
with such injuries. While conservative management is sometimes appropriate in skull
base trauma, surgical access to the skull base for reconstruction of traumatic injuries
may be required. A variety of specific surgical approaches to the anterior cranial
fossa are discussed, including the classic anterior craniofacial approach as well
as less invasive and newer endoscope-assisted approaches to the traumatized skull
base.
Keywords
cranial base - skull base trauma - surgical approaches - anterior cranial fossa
