What term is used to describe depressed skull fractures?

The term used to describe depressed skull fractures is "signature fractures." Depressed skull fractures occur when an area of the skull is pressed inward, often resembling the shape or pattern of the object that caused the injury. This type of fracture typically occurs due to high-energy impacts and can lead to complications such as brain injury or hemorrhage.

Signature fractures are characterized by their distinct patterns, which can sometimes correspond to the shape of the weapon or object that inflicted the trauma, hence the term "signature." This can be crucial in forensic contexts, where the nature of the injury may provide insights into the circumstances of the trauma.

Linear fractures refer to simple cracks in the skull that do not involve displacement of bone and typically do not penetrate the brain. Comminuted fractures involve the fracture of the skull into multiple pieces and can be more complex but do not specifically denote the inward depression characteristic of a depressed fracture. Basilar fractures occur at the base of the skull and can be associated with a different set of complications and presentations. Each of these terms describes specific types of skull fractures but does not encapsulate the characteristic inward displacement seen in depressed skull fractures as effectively as "signature fractures" does.