17 - Facial and skull fractures

Abstract

As long as they are aware of certain pitfalls, clinicians in the clinic setting can manage nasal fractures, including reduction of selected displaced fractures. Fractures of other facial bones and the skull are rarely seen in primary care settings but are commonly encountered in rural, emergency department, and urgent care settings. In these instances, clinicians will be called on to evaluate the patient for other serious associated injuries, stabilize the patient, provide initial care of the fracture, and arrange appropriate specialty evaluation and treatment. This chapter focuses on the management of nasal fractures and on the recognition of other facial and skull fractures, and the potentially serious injuries that often accompany them.