Temporal Bone Fracture and Labyrinthine Concussion as Ataxic Gait in 21-Months-Old Child.
- Author:
Sun Wook KIM
1
;
Joon Ho NAH
;
Young Soon CHO
;
Young Hwan CHOI
;
Hahn Shick LEE
Author Information
1. Department of Emergency Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. emer6657@yumc.yonsei.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords:
Labyrinth;
Post-concussion syndrome;
Ataxia
- MeSH:
Ataxia;
Child*;
Diagnosis;
Diagnosis, Differential;
Ear, Inner;
Emergencies;
Gait*;
Head Injuries, Closed;
Humans;
Neurologic Examination;
Post-Concussion Syndrome;
Temporal Bone*
- From:Journal of the Korean Society of Emergency Medicine
2006;17(1):89-91
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
Blunt head injury can concuss the membranous labyrinth against the otic capsule. This results in acute hypofunction of some portion of the vestibular neural substrate within the affected labyrinth. Both labyrinthine concussions and transverse temporal bone fractures produce acute unilateral vestibular hypofunction. We describe a 21-months-old child who presented with a ataxic gait for two days. It is difficult to make diagnosis of labyrinthine concussions and temporal bone fractures in children, for we can not know the exact history of trauma and can not perform complete neurologic examination in children. When child present with ataxic gait, the emergency physician should consider labyrinthine concussion and temporal bone fracture in the differential diagnosis and take temporal bone CT.
