Conclusion
The present case study describes a high-velocity mastoid bone
injury-causing SCE. A fracture of the mastoid bone should be included in
the workup of a head and neck traumatic injury. A well-pneumatized
mastoid can absorb forceful impacts, protecting middle and inner ear
structures. On the set of a mastoid fracture, the Valsalva maneuver can
have a catalytic effect on SCE formation but is not a prerequisite,
since an adequate force of impact can by itself disseminate air from the
mastoid to the surrounding soft tissues. Patients may initially present
with minimal symptoms, but their condition may deteriorate rapidly or
insidiously, especially in settings of mediastinal emphysema.
Acknowledgements
No other individual contributed to this paper. Published with written
consent of the patient.
Conflict of interest
None declared.
Author contributions
Dimitrios Paouris: contributed to writing—original draft. Jana
Barkociová: contributed to project administration, writing - review,
visualization. Irina Šebová: contributed to supervision
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