Final answer:
Basilar skull fractures are serious injuries that can present with specific symptoms like raccoon eyes and Battle's sign, and can be life-threatening due to the potential for associated brain injury.
Step-by-step explanation:
Basilar skull fractures indicate a break in the bones at the base of the skull. Symptoms/signs (S/S) of a basilar skull fracture can include bruising around the eyes (raccoon eyes), bruising behind the ear (Battle's sign), clear fluid drainage from the nose or ears (indicating possible cerebrospinal fluid leak), and hearing loss. These fractures are particularly concerning because they may also result in damage to adjacent structures such as cranial nerves or blood vessels, which can be life-threatening.
Specifically, there's a risk of injury to the brain itself caused by bleeding or compression as the fracture could involve the carotid canal, which contains the major artery to the brain. A contrecoup injury, which is a type of injury that occurs on the side opposite the site of the initial impact, can result in a basilar fracture.