A rare clival and sellar fracture with pneumatocephalus

We present a case of clival and sellar complex fracture produced by an indirect mechanism. This previously healthy patient had an occipital trauma followed by epistaxis. CT showed a clival and sellar fracture with pneumatocephalus. The probable fracture mechanism was contre-coup injury, linked to cerebral shock-wave transmission. This type of fracture is generally observed in the anterior part of the skull base, in a low resistance area. Severe osteoporosis probably accounted for the unusual fracture site in this patient. A mechanism of direct clival transmission is discussed, together with the usual complications of sphenoid injuries.