Authors have clinically studied otologic problems from 35 cases of temporal bone fractures at Department of Otolaryngology, Keimyung university school of medicine from January, 1984 to December, 1989. We reviewed clinical records of the 35 cases, concerning physical and surgical findings with the result of work-ups and surgical managements. The result were as follows ; 1) Of the total 35 patients, 31 patients(88.6%) were men and 4 patients(11.4%) were women. An average age of patients was 29 years old, ranging from 8 to 56 years old. 2) Most of them were injured by traffic accident(automobile, motorcycle or bicycle) followed by blunt trauma and accidental falling-down. 3) By clinical classification, there were 29 cases(82.9%) of the longitudinal fractures 4 cases(11.4%) of the transverse, and 2 cases(5.7%) of the combined. 4) Otoscopic examination revealed normal finding in 5 cases, hemotypanum in 26 cases, tympanic membrane perforation in 4 cases and injury of the external auditory canal in 29 cases. 5) Symptoms and sings were in order of ear bleeding in 29 cases(82.8%), vertigo or dizziness in 27 cases(77.1%), hemotympanum in 26 cases(74.3%), facial palsy in 19 cases(54.3%), tinnitus in 16 cases(47.5%), and tympanic membrane perforation on 4 cases(11.4%). 6) Audiologic study showed conductive hearing loss in 18 cases, mixed hearing loss in 4 cases, and sensorineural hearing loss in 2 cases. 7) Exploratory tympanotomy was done in 7 cases of post-traumatic conductive hearing loss and the average of postoperative hearing gains were 25.6 dB. 8) Facial palsy noted in 19 cases(immediate in 9 cases and delayed in 10 cases). Five cases of them underwent surgical decompression of the facial nerve.
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