Temporal Bone pathologies are typically identified through CT scans and MRI's. These are machines that provide clear imaging to help us see what is going on. CT's are more common for fractures, and MRI's are more common for diseases.

• Results from head trauma

• Hearing loss and vertigo

• Two types of fractures: Longitudinal and Transverse

• Entire ear examined to ensure no other injuries

• Antibiotic treatment

• Surgical treatment

• Healing on own

"31% of temporal bone fractures in the general population were caused by road traffic accidents followed by assaults and falls. Pedestrian injuries, bicycle accidents, gunshot wounds, all terrain vehicle accidents, sports injuries, and miscellaneous injuries accounted for 25% of cases"

(Diaz, Cervenka, and Brodie, 2016.)

• Most common

• Conductive and mixed hearing loss

• Located in petrous area

• Imaging used to identify

Mixed hearing loss with longitudinal temporal bone fracture

Right ear, mixed hearing loss, with air conduction masked and unmasked, and sloping

• Sensorineural hearing loss

• Vertigo

• Facial paralysis (50% of time)

Transverse fracture progression of sensorineural hearing loss, high frequency configuration

• Infection of the mastoid process

• Can also have infection of the air cells

• Most common cause is middle ear infection left untreated

• Most common in children

• Symptoms: pain, fever, otalgia, tenderness, swelling, typical signs of infection

• One of leading causes of hearing loss if not treated

• Diagnosed through typical ear examine followed by imaging

(Villines, 2019.)

• Treatment: antibiotics, middle ear surgery, mastoidectomy

• Simple Mastoidectomy: does not break through the posterior canal wall

• Modified Radical Mastoidectomy: does not effect eardrum and ossicles

• Radical Mastoidectomy: focus is saving life

Can lead to conductive hearing loss if left untreated or is a cronic condition for person