Toddler's fracture: Difference between revisions

(Text replacement - "f/u" to "follow up")
(Text replacement - "==Diagnosis==" to "==Evaluation==")
Line 9: Line 9:
*Swelling may be minimal or absent
*Swelling may be minimal or absent


==Diagnosis==
==Evaluation==
*May only present as faint oblique line on AP view
*May only present as faint oblique line on AP view
*May need oblique view if strong suspicion but AP/lat are negative  
*May need oblique view if strong suspicion but AP/lat are negative  

Revision as of 08:43, 26 July 2016

Background

  • Subset of childhood accidental spiral tibial (CAST) fractures, where it is a minimally displaced distal spiral tibial fracture typically encountered in ambulating toddlers (9 months - 3 years) due to low energy trauma with rotational component.
  • Also known as childhood accidental spiral tibial fracture
  • Occurs in patients <5yr after twisting foot while planted on same leg

Clinical Features

  • History of an otherwise healthy child, who was ambulating, falls and is then non-ambulatory or has painful ambulation.
  • Usually pain with palpation and rotation of distal tibia
  • Swelling may be minimal or absent

Evaluation

  • May only present as faint oblique line on AP view
  • May need oblique view if strong suspicion but AP/lat are negative

Differential Diagnosis

Pediatric Tibial Fractures

Management

  • Definite fracture
    • Immobilize in long leg splint (knee flexed to provide rotational control and prevent weight bearing)
    • Ortho follow up next day for definitive casting. Usually takes 3-4 weeks for healing without further intervention.
    • Serial radiographs to monitor for developing deformity (ie leg length discrepancy or varus/valgus angular deformity).
  • High suspicion despite negative x-ray
    • Immobilize and follow up with bone scan or repeat x-ray in 1wk

See Also

References