31 October 1997, Volume 26, Issue 6, Pages 344 – 346

Paper

Tympanic plate fracture following mandibular trauma M Psimopoulou, K Antoniades, D Magoudi & D Karakasis Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Dental School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece     Correspondence: Dr K Antoniades, Dental School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki 54006, Thessaloniki, Greece

Keywords

tomography;   X-ray computed;   ear, external;   mandibular fractures;   mandibular condyle

Abstract

Bleeding from the external auditory canal following head trauma is not unusual. It can be caused by a posterior dislocation of the mandibular condyle associated with a fracture of the tympanic bone. Although posterior dislocation is uncommon, it is the second most frequent complication after antero-medial displacement of the condyle. We report four cases of tympanic plate fracture and present CT images demonstrating the range of injuries seen.

Received 16 May, 97; Accepted 8 July, 97

^© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 1997