Paediatric cervical spine injures. Nineteen years experience of a single centre.

PURPOSE: This observational study aims to describe pediatric C-spine injuries from a level 1 trauma centre through a period of 19 years. METHODS: Clinical records of pediatric trauma patients admitted to a level 1 trauma centre between 1991 and 2009 were analyzed. Patients were stratified by age into groups A (8 or less) and B (9 to 16), and in lower (C0-C2) and upper (C3-C7) spine injuries. Several variables were studied. RESULTS: Seventy-five cases of C-spine injuries (nine SCIWORA) were identified. Group A included 23 patients and group B 52. In group A, skeletal injuries at the upper C-spine were more common than injuries at the lower C-spine, whereas in group B, injuries of the lower C-spine were more frequent (p = 0.035). Motor vehicle accidents were the main cause of injury (44 %); 25.3 % of patients were surgically treated. Thirty-nine patients presented neurologic deficits, 16 of which improved. The overall mortality rate was 18.7 % and significantly higher in patients with neurological damages (p < 0.001) CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed a low incidence of cervical spine injuries in the paediatric population. As in previous reports younger children mainly sustained injuries at the upper C-spine, higher incidence of spinal injuries, and higher risk of death than older children.

Congenital dislocation of the patella - clinical case.

Congenital patellar dislocation is a rare condition in which the patella is permanently dislocated and cannot be reduced manually. The patella develops normally as a sesamoid bone of the femur. This congenital dislocation results from failure of the internal rotation of the myotome that forms the femur, quadriceps muscle and extensor apparatus. It usually manifests immediately after birth, although in some rare cases, the diagnosis may be delayed until adolescence or adulthood. Early diagnosis is important, thereby allowing surgical correction and avoiding late sequelae, including early degenerative changes in the knee. A case of permanent dislocation of the patella is presented here, in a female child aged seven years.

A luxação congênita da patela é uma patologia rara, em que a patela se encontra permanentemente luxada e manualmente irredutível. A patela desenvolve-se normalmente como um osso sesamoide do fêmur. A luxação congênita da patela resulta da falência da rotação interna do miótomo que forma o fêmur, músculo quadricípite e o aparelho extensor. Usualmente manifesta-se imediatamente após o nascimento, embora em alguns casos raros o diagnóstico possa ser adiado até a adolescência/idade adulta. O diagnóstico precoce é importante, permite a correção cirúrgica, evita as sequelas tardias, notadamente alterações degenerativas precoces do joelho. É apresentado um caso de luxação permanente da patela, numa criança de sexo feminino, com sete anos.