Longitudinal temporal bone fractures

Last revised by Arlene Campos ◉ on 7 Jun 2024

Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data

Citation:

Di Muzio B, Campos A, Bell D, et al. Longitudinal temporal bone fractures. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 09 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-12971

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-12971

Permalink:

https://radiopaedia.org/articles/12971

rID:

12971

Article created:

13 Feb 2011, Bruno Di Muzio ◉

Disclosures:

At the time the article was created Bruno Di Muzio had no recorded disclosures.

View Bruno Di Muzio's current disclosures

Last revised:

7 Jun 2024, Arlene Campos ◉

Disclosures:

At the time the article was last revised Arlene Campos had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.

View Arlene Campos's current disclosures

Revisions:

20 times, by 13 contributors - see full revision history and disclosures

Systems:

Head & Neck, Trauma

Tags:

trauma, ent

Synonyms:

Temporal longitudinal fractures
Longitudinal fractures of the temporal bone

Longitudinal temporal bone fractures are petrous temporal bone fractures that occur parallel to the long axis of the petrous temporal bone. Although classifications of the extent of temporal bone fractures focus on the integrity of the otic capsule rather than the fracture orientation, description of fractures in terms of longitudinal or transverse or mixed orientation is still common and useful in conveying the fracture anatomy.

Epidemiology

Longitudinal fractures represent the majority (70-90%) of all petrous temporal bone fractures. Periauricular swelling and retroauricular ecchymosis (Battle sign) are common, and almost all have otorrhagia.

Pathology

Mechanism

Longitudinal temporal bone fractures typically originate from the squamous temporal bone with the inferior propagation of the fracture line through the mastoid into the lateral wall of the middle ear, passing behind, through, or in front of the external auditory canal and ends in middle cranial fossa adjacent to the foramen spinosum and foramen lacerum.

Depending on the force of impact, the fracture line may extend, deviated by the strong petrous bone, through the anteromedial wall of the middle ear. Involvement of the otic capsule is rare, but the fracture line can involve the squamous part of the temporal bone and/or the parietal bone.