Final answer:
Compressed skull fractures can lead to complications such as brain damage from sharp bone fragments, increased intracranial pressure due to hematomas, and potentially fatal damage to arteries such as the carotid.
Step-by-step explanation:
The potential complications associated with compressed skull fractures are serious and life-threatening. Comminuted fractures may present with multiple bone fragments, posing a risk of brain injury from sharp bone edges, while depressed fractures involve the inward displacement of bone fragments that may press against brain tissue. A particularly dangerous type, the contrecoup fracture, can occur opposite the site of impact, potentially leading to a basilar fracture at the skull's base. Such fractures risk damaging the arteries running through the skull, such as the carotid artery, leading to internal bleeding.
Another serious risk is the development of a hematoma, particularly with fractures around the pterion, where bleeding from an underlying artery can cause blood to accumulate between the brain and skull, increasing pressure and potentially causing herniation, which can be fatal without prompt medical treatment. Head and traumatic brain injuries contribute approximately to 30 percent of injury-related deaths in the United States, indicating the severity of these conditions.