Incomplete Fractures of Distal Long Bones Among Children in Early Stages of Mobility: Few Concerns for Physical Child Abuse at a Single Pediatric Level I Trauma Center.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to describe the characteristics, reported mechanism of injury, fracture morphology, and level of physical abuse concern among children in the early stages of mobility diagnosed with an incomplete distal extremity long bone fracture. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed for all children aged 10 to 12 months with an incomplete fracture of a distal forearm or distal lower limb who were reportedly pulling up, cruising, or ambulating, and who were evaluated by the child abuse pediatrics team at a single pediatric level I trauma center. RESULTS: Of the 29 patients who met inclusion criteria, the child abuse pediatrics team had concerns about physical child abuse for 3 children. Not every case with an unknown or discrepant history of injury was deemed concerning for abuse, but all 3 for whom the team determined that concern was warranted had an unknown or discrepant history. All 3 of these children had distal forearm fractures; 1 child had multiple concomitant fractures (including a scapular fracture), and 2 had evidence of bone healing at initial presentation. Each of these observations raises concern for abusive injury based on current evidence. Both-bone buckle fractures of the radius/ulna and tibia/fibula were the most common type of incomplete distal fracture. CONCLUSIONS: This age group presents a unique challenge when designing evidence-based algorithms for the detection of occult injuries in emergency departments. Incomplete fractures of a distal limb are commonly related to a fall and may be considered "low specificity" for physical abuse. However, some publications conclude they should prompt universal physical abuse screening. Our small study indicated that the presence or absence of certain risk factors may provide additional information which could help guide the need for a more thorough evaluation for occult injury in early-mobile children with incomplete distal extremity long bone fractures. Ongoing research is warranted.

Return to the Operating Room for Unplanned Pin Removal After Percutaneous Pinning of Supracondylar Humerus Fractures: A Retrospective Review.

BACKGROUND: Pin migration is a common complication associated with closed reduced and percutaneous pinning (CRPP) of supracondylar humerus fractures (SCHF) in children. Though this complication occurs frequently, little work has been done to elicit circumstances surrounding this complication. The purpose of this study was to evaluate patients with SCHF treated with percutaneous pins who needed to return to the operating room for pin removal. METHODS: This was a multicenter study involving children treated at 6 pediatric tertiary care centers between 2010 and 2020. Retrospective chart review was performed to identify children aged 3 to 10 years of age with a diagnosis of a SCHF. Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes were used to identify patients who underwent CRPP of their injuries. CPT codes for deep hardware removal requiring procedural sedation or anesthesia were used to identify patients who needed to return to the operating room for hardware removal. RESULTS: Between 2010 and 2020, 15 out of 7862 patients who were treated for SCHF at our 6 participating study centers experienced pin migration requiring a return to the operating room for pin removal, yielding a complication rate of 0.19%. Twelve (80%) of these injuries were Wilkins modification of the Gartland classification Type III, while the remaining injuries were Type II. 2-pin fixation constructs were used in nine (60%) children; 3-pin fixation constructs were used in 6 (40%) children. Pin migration was noted 23.2±7.0 days postoperatively at clinic follow-up. Four patients were noted to have multiple pins buried at follow-up. Four patients required 1-centimeter incisions for exposure of the buried pins, while surgeons were able to remove the buried pin with just a needle driver and blunt dissection in the remainder of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Pin migration is a common complication of closed reduction and percutaneous pinning of SCHF. There is variation in pin site management to prevent migration in the absence of underlying risk factors. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

Below-Knee Cast Immobilization for Distal Tibial Physeal Fractures.

Distal tibial physeal injuries are one of the most commonly reported fractures in children. Traditionally, treatment recommendations consist of utilization of a long leg cast for initial immobilization. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of below-knee cast immobilization in the closed treatment of distal tibial physeal fractures. We reviewed all patients with distal tibial physeal fractures treated with below-knee immobilization at our tertiary care facility between January 2002 and September 2015. Radiographs were analyzed for displacement and angulation at the time of injury, after closed reduction and/or casting, and at completion of immobilization to evaluate for loss of reduction. In total, 120 fractures (120 patients) were reviewed with 63 (52.5%) extra-articular fractures and 57 (47.5%) intra-articular fractures. The mean initial displacement was 4 mm (range 0-26 mm) with 34 patients having greater than 2 mm of displacement at presentation. Closed reduction was performed on 33 (27.5%) patients with the remaining 87 (72.5%) receiving immobilization alone without formal reduction. All fractures successfully healed with only 2 (1.67%) patients experiencing a loss of reduction. Both patients that lost reduction had undergone an initial closed reduction. No nondisplaced fractures lost reduction. These findings suggest that below-knee immobilization is an effective alternative in the treatment of both nondisplaced and displaced distal tibial physeal fractures, including those with intra-articular involvement, as well as those undergoing closed reduction. This creates an opportunity to provide increased patient mobility and early knee range of motion.

Significance of the Lateral Humeral Line for Evaluating Radiocapitellar Alignment in Children.

BACKGROUND: The radiocapitellar line (RCL) was originally described for evaluation of the alignment of the RC joint on lateral images of the elbow. Although, many authors have translated the utilization of RCL into coronal imaging, previous studies have not been performed to confirm validity. The purpose of this paper was to identify an accurate way of evaluating pediatric RC alignment in the coronal plane. METHODS: Thirty-seven anteroposterior (AP) radiographs of 37 children were evaluated to determine the position of the RC joint in the coronal plane. All had acceptable magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies available for comparison. The lateral humeral line (LHL), consisting of a line along the lateral edge of the ossified condyle of the distal humerus parallel to the axis of the distal humeral shaft, was studied as it related to the lateral cortex of the radial neck. Three children with a confirmed diagnosis of a Bado III, lateral displaced radius, Monteggia fracture were also evaluated. RESULTS: The LHL passed along the edge of or lateral to the radial neck on all AP radiographs and all MRI studies. The RCL failed to intersect the capitellum on 2 AP radiographs. On MRI, the RCL also passed lateral to the capitellar ossification center in 3 patients. In addition, the RCL was seen passing through the capitellum at a mean of the lateral 30% (range, 0% to 64%) on AP radiographs and 26% (range, 0% to 48%) on MRI. For all 3 children with a Bado III Monteggia fracture, the LHL crossed the radial neck and the RCL did not intersect the capitellum. CONCLUSIONS: The RCL can fail to intersect the capitellar ossification center on AP radiographs and MRI in pediatric elbows without injury. The LHL consistently lies lateral to the radial neck in normal elbows and medial to the lateral aspect of the radial neck on all Bado III fracture-dislocations. It, therefore, can be used as an adjunct in evaluating the RC joint on AP imaging. The RCL most commonly intersects the lateral one third of the ossification center on both plain radiographs and MRIs. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III-diagnostic.

The Distal Humerus Axial View: Assessment of Displacement in Medial Epicondyle Fractures.

BACKGROUND: The assessment and treatment of childhood medial epicondyle humerus fractures continues to be associated with significant debate. Several studies demonstrate that standard radiographic views are unable to accurately portray the true displacement. Without reliable ways to assess the amount of displacement, how can we debate treatment and outcomes? This study introduces a novel imaging technique for the evaluation of medial epicondyle fractures. METHODS: An osteotomy of a cadaveric humerus was performed to simulate a medial epicondyle fracture. Plain radiographs were obtained with the fracture fragment displaced anteriorly in 2-mm increments between 0 and 18 mm. Anteroposterior (AP), internal oblique (IR), lateral (LAT), and distal humerus axial (AXIAL) views were performed. Axial images were obtained by positioning the central ray above the shoulder at 15 to 20 degrees from the long axis of the humerus, centered on the distal humerus. Displacement (mm) was measured by 7 orthopaedic surgeons on digital radiographs. RESULTS: At 10 mm displacement, AP views underestimated displacement by 5.5±0.6 mm and IR views underestimated by 3.8±2.1 mm. On LAT views, readers were not able to visualize fragments with <10 mm displacement. Displacement ≥10 mm from LAT views was overestimated by 1 reader by up to 4.6 mm and underestimated by others by up to 18.0 mm. AXIAL images more closely estimated the true amount of displacement, with a mean 1.5±1.1 mm error in measurement for <10 mm displacement and a mean 0.8±0.7 mm error for displacements of ≥10 mm. AXIAL measurements correlated strongly with the actual displacement (r=0.998, P<0.05); AP measurements did not (r=0.655, P=0.55). Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was 0.257 for AP and IR measurements; ICC was 0.974 for AXIAL measurements. CONCLUSIONS: Standard imaging, consisting of AP, IR, and LAT radiographs, consistently underestimates the actual displacement of medial epicondyle humerus fractures. The newly described AXIAL projection more accurately and reliably demonstrated the true displacement while reducing the need for advanced imaging such as computed tomography. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This simple view can be easily obtained at a clinic visit, enhancing the surgeon's ability to determine the true displacement.

The role of capital realignment versus in situ stabilization for the treatment of slipped capital femoral epiphysis.

INTRODUCTION: Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) can be treated by a variety of methods with the traditional method of in situ pin fixation being most commonly used. More recently, the Modified Dunn (Mod. Dunn) procedure consisting of capital realignment has been popularized as a treatment method for SCFE, particularly for more severe cases. Over the last 5 years, our institution has selectively used this method for more complex cases. The purpose of this article is to evaluate the differences between these 2 treatment methods in terms of avascular necrosis (AVN) rate, reoperation rate, and complication rate. METHODS: Eighty-eight hips that were surgically treated for SCFE between July 2004 and June 2012 met our inclusion criteria. The in situ fixation group included 71 hips, whereas 17 hips were anatomically reduced with the Mod. Dunn procedure. Loder classification, severity, acuity, complication rate, and reoperation rate were determined for the 2 cohorts. The χ analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship between the treatment method and outcome. RESULTS: As expected, stable slips did well with in situ pinning with no cases of AVN, even in more severe slips. Ten stable slips were treated with the Mod. Dunn approach and 2 (20%) developed AVN. Unstable slips were more difficult to treat with 3 of the 7 hips stabilized in situ developing AVN (43%). Two of the 7 unstable slips treated by the Mod. Dunn procedure developed AVN (29%). The other outcomes studied (reoperation rate and complication rate) were not significantly related to the surgical treatment method (P = 0.732 and 0.261, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In situ pinning remains a safe and predictable method for treatment of stable SCFE with no AVN noted, even in severe slips. Attempts to anatomically reduce stable slips led to severe AVN in 20% of cases, thus this treatment approach should be considered with caution. Treatment of unstable slips remains problematic with high AVN rates noted whether treated by in situ fixation or capital realignment (Mod. Dunn). LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III retrospective comparative study.

Rate of concomitant cellulitis and osteoarticular infections in a pediatric population.

Concern for infection is a common presentation in pediatric emergency departments. Clinical signs of cellulitis in pediatric patients often lead to a workup for osteoarticular infection despite a lack of evidence to suggest that the two entities commonly co-exist. With this in mind, we asked: (1) What is the rate of concomitant cellulitis and osteoarticular infections in the pediatric population? (2) What factors are associated with concomitant cellulitis and osteoarticular infections? This is a retrospective study of 482 pediatric patients who underwent MRI to evaluate for either cellulitis or an osteoarticular infection at a single tertiary care children's hospital. Data were analyzed to assess the prevalence of osteomyelitis concomitant with cellulitis in our sample population. Concomitant cellulitis and osteoarticular infection were present in 11% of all cases (53/482). Of the concomitant infections, 92% percent (49/53) were present in distal locations (Group 1) and 8% (4/53) were present in proximal locations (Group 2). Bivariate analysis showed that concomitant infections on the distal extremities were significantly more common than concomitant infections on the proximal extremities ( P < 0.001). We found that concomitant cellulitis and osteoarticular infection were (1) uncommon and (2) significantly less common when clinical signs of cellulitis were present in the proximal extremities (proximal to ankle or wrist). This suggests that advanced imaging is most appropriate for patients who present with cellulitis on the distal extremities and can be used more judiciously in patients presenting with cellulitis on the proximal extremities. Level of Evidence - Level III.

Treatment of proximal tibial buckle fractures: removable knee immobilizer versus long leg cast.

The purpose of this study was to compare outcomes and management of patients with buckle fractures of the proximal tibia treated with either a knee immobilizer or a long leg cast (LLC). A retrospective review was performed of pediatric patients with a buckle fracture of the proximal tibia over a 5-year period. Two cohorts were included, those treated with a LLC versus a removable knee immobilizer. Data collected included immobilization type, fracture laterality, length of immobilization, number of clinic visits, fracture displacement, and complications. Differences in complications and management between the cohorts were evaluated. In total, 224 patients met inclusion criteria (58% female, mean age 3.1 years ± 1.7 years). Of these patients, 187 patients (83.5%) were treated with a LLC. No patients in either group were found to have interval fracture displacement during treatment. Seven patients (3.1%) demonstrated skin complications, all in the LLC cohort. Mean length of immobilization was shorter for those treated in a knee immobilizer at 25.9 days versus 27.9 days for the LLC cohort (P = 0.024). Total number of clinic visits was also less at 2.2 (SD ±â€…0.4 days) for the knee immobilizer and 2.6 (SD ±â€…0.7 days) for the LLC (P = 0.001) cohorts. Pediatric patients with proximal tibial buckle fractures can be safely managed with a knee immobilizer. This treatment method is associated with a shorter duration of immobilization and fewer clinic visits without incidence of fracture displacement. In addition, knee immobilizers can lessen skin issues associated with cast immobilization and cast-related office visits. This is a Level III evidence, retrospective comparative study.

Unsuspected tarsal coalitions in equinus and varus foot deformities.

Tarsal coalitions have been reported in the setting of equinovarus foot deformities, but only as rare isolated findings. Failure to recognize this diagnosis may inhibit successful equinovarus correction. Here, we review a series of tarsal coalitions seen in congenital and neuropathic equinovarus deformity at two institutions, to report the breakdown of types of coalitions encountered, and to suggest methodology to facilitate earlier diagnosis. The records of all patients treated by two of the authors for bilateral equinovarus deformities and found to have either a unilateral or bilateral tarsal coalition between 2006 and 2016 were reviewed. Nine feet with tarsal coalition (calcaneonavicular n = 7 and talocalcaneal n = 2) were reviewed. Five of these cases occurred in patients with idiopathic equinovarus and four cases in patients with equinovarus related to a neurologic disease. All patients were definitively diagnosed by computed tomography scans with 3D reconstruction. In 56% of cases, the patient had previously undergone at least one open procedure before the coalition was recognized. The mean age at diagnosis of the coalition was 11.4 years. Our experience suggests that tarsal coalitions, particularly calcaneonavicular coalitions, may occur more frequently in equinovarus deformities than previously reported. Upon recognition and removal of these coalitions, we were able to achieve improved correction of the equinovarus deformities and improved range of motion. We recommend that surgeons maintain an awareness of this potential concomitant problem in all equinovarus foot deformities and consider advanced imaging in cases which fail to respond to traditional treatment.

The rate of contralateral proximal femoral fracture following closed reduction and percutaneous pinning compared with arthroplasty for the treatment of femoral neck fractures.

BACKGROUND: As the population ages, the number of proximal femoral fractures seen each year is expected to increase. Subsequent contralateral hip fractures have been reported to occur in as many as 11.8% of patients after surgical fixation of the initial fracture, but it is unknown if this rate is similar among patients managed with different surgical procedures. METHODS: A retrospective comparative study was performed at a single institution at which electronic medical records and digital radiographs were reviewed for 1177 patients who underwent closed reduction and percutaneous pinning or arthroplasty for the treatment of a proximal femoral fracture. For the primary outcome of subsequent fracture, logistic regression analysis was applied. RESULTS: Four hundred and ninety-five patients were managed with closed reduction and percutaneous pinning, and 682 were managed with arthroplasty. Patients who underwent closed reduction and percutaneous pinning were two times more likely to have a subsequent contralateral femoral fracture in comparison with those who underwent arthroplasty, with contralateral fracture rates of 10.10% for the closed reduction and percutaneous pinning group and 5.57% for the arthroplasty group (p = 0.0035). CONCLUSIONS: Patients undergoing closed reduction and percutaneous pinning as the initial treatment for a hip fracture had an increased risk of a subsequent contralateral hip fracture in comparison with those undergoing arthroplasty, after controlling for patient characteristics.