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Battle's sign
Bruises behind the ears, indicating skull fracture From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Battle's sign, also known as mastoid ecchymosis, is a late indication of fracture of middle cranial fossa of the skull, appearing as bruising over one or both of the mastoid processes at least one day after the injury.[1] Such fractures can be associated with underlying brain trauma, as they appear as a result of extravasation of blood along the path of the posterior auricular artery.[2] The sign is named after William Henry Battle.[3]

Battle's sign is considered a late sign, as it takes at least one day to appear after the initial traumatic basilar skull fracture, similar to raccoon eyes.[1] Battle's sign may be confused with a spreading hematoma from a fracture of the mandibular condyle,[4] which is a less serious injury.
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