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IN A SERIES of 4,400 battle casualties requiring surgical treatment admitted to an army general hospital overseas, there were 21 patients with injury to the mastoid portion of the temporal bone or to the facial nerve or to both. Of this number there were 6 patients (cases 1, 2, 3,4, 5 and 6) with injury to the mastoid area. Two patients (cases 7 and 8) sustained injury to the mastoid area with involvement of the facial nerve. Four patients (cases 9, 10, 11 and 12) had injuries to the facial nerve producing paralysis, with no evidence of injury to the mastoid structures.
A perusal of the literature reveals that little has been written concerning this particular type of war injury. Many of these patients are treated in forward areas by the general surgeon, and it was thought to be worth while to point out some of the lessons which have