Ping-Pong Fraktur

Last edit by Alaric Steinmetz on

The ping-pong fracture is a term for a depressed skull fracture in newborns and young infants[^1]. At this stage, the skull bone is still relatively soft and can deform like a dented ping-pong ball. A fracture gap cannot be clearly identified, and this type of fracture is rarely associated with further intracranial injuries[^1].

Etiology

Ping-pong fractures can be traumatic[^1] or can occur spontaneously in utero[^2].

Treatment

Depending on the extent of the fracture, ping-pong fractures can be treated conservatively or surgically[^1].

Imaging

Diagnosis is made using computed tomography (CT)[^1] or MRI.

Ping-Pong fracture
CT 3-D reconstruction of a ping-pong fracture. The reconstruction shows a depression of the parietal bone without a fracture line in a 7-week-old patient. Figure adapted from Zia, Z., Morris, A.-M., Paw, R. (2007). Ping-pong fracture. Emergency Medicine Journal, 24(10), 731-731. doi:10.1136/emj.2006.043570