Question

The nurse is providing care to a patient with a skull fracture. The nurse notes leakage of fluid from the patient's nose and ears. The magnetic resonance imaging report indicates hemorrhage and damage to the anterior and middle fossal regions of the brain. Which type of fracture does the nurse suspect?

a) Basilar skull fracture
b) Linear skull fracture
c) Depressed skull fracture
d) Diastatic skull fracture

Answer 1

The nurse suspects that the type of fracture the patient has is a basilar skull fracture. This type of fracture occurs at the base of the skull and can damage the artery that passes through the carotid canal.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse suspects that the type of fracture the patient has is a basilar skull fracture. This type of fracture occurs at the base of the skull and can damage the artery that passes through the carotid canal. The leakage of fluid from the patient's nose and ears, as well as the magnetic resonance imaging report indicating hemorrhage and damage to the anterior and middle fossal regions of the brain, are consistent with a basilar skull fracture.