An unusual cause of depressed skull fracture: Case report

BACKGROUND Camel collision accidents are a common occurrence in Saudi Arabia, with a h igh rate of mortality and morbidity. Isolated injuries are rare because of the nature of impact sustained by the person. CASE DESCRIPTION A 4-year-old child with an isolated depressed skull fracture resulting from a camel collision is described. The other occupants of the car were crushe d to death. The child sustained only an impact to his head, causing a compo und depressed skull fracture with localized cortical damage. CONCLUSIONS Camel collision accidents are a common cause of mortality and morbidity in Saudi Arabia. Isolated skull injuries are rare and result from a localized impact. This is the first report of a compound depressed skull fracture fro m such an incident. The extent of the problem and efforts toward prevention are described. (C) 1999 by Elsevier Science Inc.