Growing skull fracture

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BackgroundGrowing skull fractures are poorly understood complications of paediatric skull fractures. Skull fracture in infancy or early childhood which results in dural tear and brain injury can result in enlarging cranial defect. Case reportIn this article we report the case of a six year old young child with history of fall two years back. Patient was treated for left subdural haematoma in left parietal region followed by reconstruction of defect by rib grafts. The asymptomatic linear fracture of right parietal bone enlarged into a growing defect in two years which required duraplasty and cranioplasty as surgical treatment. DiscussionGrowing skull fractures are rare complication of head trauma. Their usual site is parietal region which presents as a cystic, non tender swelling with an underlying palpable bony defect. A young child with history of skull fracture of greater than 4 mm with dural tear, neurologic deficit and local swelling should be closely monitored.