A rare case of hypoglossal nerve palsy complicating a head injury

Abstract

Hypoglossal nerve palsy (HNP) may follow fracture of the base of the skull. Of the various aetiologies described, trauma is one of the least frequent. HNP can easily be missed at the time of injury and awareness of this rare complication may assist in early diagnosis. A case of HNP after a head injury associated with the loss of taste sensation on the paralysed side of the tongue and aerocoele is reported.