Battle sign is an indication of which type of injury?

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Multiple Choice

Battle sign is an indication of which type of injury?

Battle sign is a late physical finding that indicates a basilar skull fracture. The bruising behind the ear over the mastoid process occurs when blood from the fracture tracks into the mastoid air cells, typically involving the temporal bone. This sign tends to appear hours to days after injury and is often seen with other skull-base fracture indicators such as CSF leakage from the ear and periorbital ecchymosis. It points to skull-base injury rather than a simple surface injury. While hearing loss can accompany temporal bone involvement, the mastoid ecchymosis itself specifically signals basilar skull fracture, whereas an epidural hematoma usually presents with a lucid interval and focal neurologic deficits rather than mastoid bruising.

Battle sign is a late physical finding that indicates a basilar skull fracture. The bruising behind the ear over the mastoid process occurs when blood from the fracture tracks into the mastoid air cells, typically involving the temporal bone. This sign tends to appear hours to days after injury and is often seen with other skull-base fracture indicators such as CSF leakage from the ear and periorbital ecchymosis. It points to skull-base injury rather than a simple surface injury. While hearing loss can accompany temporal bone involvement, the mastoid ecchymosis itself specifically signals basilar skull fracture, whereas an epidural hematoma usually presents with a lucid interval and focal neurologic deficits rather than mastoid bruising.

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