Battle's sign refers to discoloration behind which region?

Battle's sign refers to discoloration behind which region?

• A. Behind the ears.
• B. Forehead.
• C. Cheek.
• D. Chin.

Answer: (A)

Battle's sign is bruising behind the ear, in the mastoid region. This is a late warning sign of a basilar skull fracture, usually involving the temporal bone. Blood collects in the soft tissues around the mastoid process, so ecchymosis appears several hours to a day after the injury. Recognizing this helps you understand that there may be fracture at the skull base, which carries risks to deeper structures and can accompany other signs like leakage of CSF from the ear or nose. In practice, treat with caveats for skull base trauma, maintain spinal precautions, and monitor for additional signs, since this finding points to a serious injury rather than a superficial bruise.

Battle's sign is bruising behind the ear, in the mastoid region. This is a late warning sign of a basilar skull fracture, usually involving the temporal bone. Blood collects in the soft tissues around the mastoid process, so ecchymosis appears several hours to a day after the injury. Recognizing this helps you understand that there may be fracture at the skull base, which carries risks to deeper structures and can accompany other signs like leakage of CSF from the ear or nose. In practice, treat with caveats for skull base trauma, maintain spinal precautions, and monitor for additional signs, since this finding points to a serious injury rather than a superficial bruise.