Fractures extending through the base of the skull usually involve the frontal bone, portions of the temporal bone, the occipital bone, the sphenoid bone, and sometimes the cribriform plate of ethmoid bone. Skull fractures commonly occur secondary to head injuries such as from falls, assaults, or motor vehicle accidents. Sequelae may include traumatic brain injuries, intracranial hematomas, periorbital or retroauricular ecchymosis, neuropathies of cranial nerves, carotid-cavernous sinus fistula, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) otorrhea.