Birth injuries to growth plates: A sheep in wolves' clothing.

ABSTRACT

Growth plate injuries (Salter-Harris type 1 or physeal fractures) of the long bones in the newborn are easily misdiagnosed as joint fractures with dislocations due to their nonossified epiphyses on plain radiographs. Diagnosis with musculoskeletal ultrasound (US) is advantageous due to its ability to visualize the nonossified epiphysis. We present two cases of humeral growth plate fractures in newborns, one at the shoulder (proximal humerus) and the other at the elbow (distal humerus). These cases emphasize the importance of quick and noninvasive diagnosis with US to avoid unnecessary intervention. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 45511-514, 2017.