SELLA TURCICA FRACTURES IN A TRAUMA SERIES AND THEIR CLINICAL-SIGNIFICANCE

BACKGROUND Fractures in the region of the sella turcica (ST) are usual ly associated with severe blunt head trauma and may produce many compl ications. The true incidence is difficult to assess since there have b een only about 30 cases reported in the literature. METHODS A total of 470 computed tomography (CT) sections-with optimum bone window images of skull bone-of 1600 head trauma patients who were admitted between 1979 and 1992, inclusive, to the Neurosurgery Department of Gazi Unive rsity Medical School were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS There were a total of 17 patients with a fracture of the ST, constituting an inc idence of 3.6%, and there was a pre-ponderance of children. CONCLUSION S Computed tomography was very helpful in assessing the extent of ST f ractures. In our cases, these fractures were not associated with a hig h complication or death rate, although a cerebrospinal fluid fistula w as present in 53%.