Question

A construction worker was accidentally shot with a nail gun. The nail penetrated the skull approximately ½ inch through the temporal region. Before your arrival, coworkers pulled the nail free. Based on the mechanism of injury, which sign provides the strongest evidence that the meningeal layers have been breached?

A) Blood draining from the puncture wound
B) Crepitus of the skull at the injury site
C) Deformity and depression at the injury site
D) Cerebrospinal fluid oozing from the puncture wound
emergency-medical-services

Answer 1

Answer: D) "Cerebrospinal fluid oozing from the puncture wound."

Step-by-step explanation:

The nail penetrates the skull about ½ inch that damages the dura, the outermost layer of the meninges and cause leaking of Cerebrospinal fluid.

A Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak is caused due to the hole or tear in the meningeal layer. CSF leak can be furthur diagnosed with Computerized axial tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is required to determine the location and severity of the leakage.

Hence, the correct option is D) "Cerebrospinal fluid oozing from the puncture wound."