A middle meningeal artery tear causing extradural haematoma typically follows a fracture of which skull bone and at which point?

• A Parietal bone, at the vertex
• B Occipital bone, at the lambda
• C Frontal bone, at the coronal suture
• D Temporal bone, at the pterion (thinnest point of skull vault) ✓

Explanation

The pterion is the H-shaped junction of the frontal, parietal, temporal, and greater wing of sphenoid, located 3–4 cm above the midpoint of the zygomatic arch. It is the thinnest part of the skull vault (2–3 mm) and overlies the anterior division of the middle meningeal artery. A blow to the temporal region fractures the pterion and lacerates the artery, causing a classic extradural haematoma with lucid interval. The lens-shaped (biconvex) haematoma on CT is diagnostic, and the artery lies in a groove on the inner table of the temporal bone.

Reference: BD Chaurasia's Human Anatomy, 8th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.