Acute fractures of the pediatric foot and ankle

Match the Metatarsal Heads: A Case of All-Metatarsal Fractures After a Motorcycle Accident

Metatarsal bone fractures are one of the most frequent foot injuries, especially after motor vehicle accidents in children. This case report briefly demonstrated a rare instance of pediatric all-metatarsal fractures of the left foot in an adolescent patient with polytrauma after a motorcycle accident. This case report illustrated the surgical procedure's potential for healing pediatric foot fractures in teenage patients after polytrauma. In the examination of a 16-year-old male patient brought to the emergency department after a motorcycle accident, we detected a right foot third finger proximal phalanx open fracture, right foot fourth finger proximal phalanx fracture, left foot first metatarsal proximal fracture, left foot second, third, fourth, and fifth metatarsal distal fractures, left foot cuboid, and navicular bone fractures. The patient's left foot's metatarsals were all fractured. The posterolateral wall fracture of the patient's right maxilla was also detected. All metatarsals were displaced, the second metatarsal paired with the third, etc., and because of this displacement, the closed reduction was impossible, and even the open reduction was challenging to reach the correct pairs. We performed closed reduction and fixation with Kirschner wire for the left foot's first metatarsal fracture and open reduction and fixation with Kirschner wire for the left foot's second, third, and fourth metatarsal distal fractures. We also performed closed reduction and fixation with Kirschner wire for the right foot third and fourth proximal phalanx fractures. We observed callus formation in the sixth week and removed the patient's K-wires. At eight weeks, the X-ray demonstrated the correct alignment of all metatarsals. The proper alignment of all metatarsals and the full range of motion of all foot and ankle joints were achieved with early surgical intervention, open reduction, and timely rehabilitation. This case also emphasizes the importance of open reduction in such irreducible and heavily displaced cases of multiple fractures as all-metatarsal fractures and contributes to the literature with a specific treatment modality in the case of all-metatarsal fractures lacking in the literature.

Risk Factors for Ankle Fractures in Asian Adolescents Seen in a Pediatric Emergency Department

OBJECTIVES

Pediatric ankle injuries remain one of the most common presenting complaints to the pediatric emergency department (PED). In this study, we aimed to describe risk factors associated with simple ankle fractures and ankle fractures that require surgery, among adolescents presenting to the PED with ankle injuries.

METHODS

We analyzed a retrospective cohort study of adolescents 12 to 16 years old who presented to our PED with an acute ankle injury and received an ankle radiograph from November 1, 2016, to October 31, 2017. Demographic, anthropometric variables, physical examination findings including those of the Ottawa Ankle Rules were obtained. We recorded any surgical interventions required, as well as follow-up and to return to physical activity.

RESULTS

Five hundred fifty-six cases of adolescent ankle injuries were reviewed, of which 109 adolescents had ankle fractures, whereas 19 had ankle fractures requiring surgery. Sports-related injuries remained the most common cause of ankle fractures. Age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.56-0.83; P < 0.001), male sex (aOR, 2.12; 95% CI, 1.34-3.35; P < 0.001), clinical findings of tenderness over the lateral malleolus (aOR, 3.13; 95% CI, 1.74-5.64; P < 0.001) or medial malleolus (aOR, 3.55; 95% CI, 2.18-5.78; P < 0.001), and inability to walk (aOR, 3.09; 95% CI, 1.95-4.91; P < 0.001) were significant independent risk factors for ankle fractures.Patients with a weight more than 90th centile for age were at greater risk of ankle fractures requiring surgery (aOR, 2.64; 95% CI, 1.05-6.64; P = 0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

We found that younger age, male sex, and clinical findings in the Ottawa Ankle Rules correlated well with predicting ankle fractures and are well suited for application in the Southeast Asian population. Weight greater than the 90th percentile for age was a significant risk factor for ankle fractures requiring surgery.

Treatment of paediatric Lisfranc injuries: A systematic review and introduction of a novel treatment algorithm

BACKGROUND

Pediatric Lisfranc injuries (PLI) are rare injuries that have few studies published about their occurrence and treatment in pediatric population. Due to this lack of information, the diagnostic criteria and surgical or non-surgical methods for treatment have not been clearly established within the pediatric orthopedic literature. The objective of this study was to review the published literature related to treatment options and develop a concise stepwise treatment algorithm for pediatric patients presenting with Lisfranc injuries.

METHODS

A systematic literature review was conducted using PubMed to find studies discussing the treatment of PLI with reported long-term outcomes. Data collection accounted for the mechanism of injury, diagnostic imaging modality used, injury type, fracture classification using the Myerson system, treatment method used, and postoperative complications.

RESULTS

An initial PubMed search revealed 290 articles, but only 10 studies fulfilled the criteria for in-depth review. A total of 114 patients were included in this review from the selected case reports and case series studies. Primary treatment methods were as follows: 44% (50/114) with open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) using Kirschner wires (K-wires) and/or screws, 3% (3/114) with closed reduction percutaneous fixation (CRPF), 4% (4/114) with suture-button constructs, 20% (23/114) with cast immobilization, and 29% (33/114) were described as not requiring reduction.

CONCLUSION

There were two main limitations to this study. First, there are few published studies with longitudinal outcomes of PLI treatment. Second, some case series did not disclose which procedure a patient with post-treatment complications underwent. Therefore, an overall statistical analysis of success and failure rates with associated complications of each procedure could not be conducted. In conclusion, we found that a stepwise approach to evaluating conservative and surgical treatment options based on the presentation of the PLI should be utilized to optimize long-term outcomes.

Acute Fractures and Dislocations of the Ankle and Foot in Children

Distinct biologic and mechanical attributes of the pediatric skeleton translate into fracture patterns, complications, and treatment dilemmas that differ from those of adults. In children, increasing participation in competitive sports activities has led to an increased incidence of acute injuries that affect the foot and ankle. These injuries represent approximately 13% of all pediatric osseous injuries. Important posttraumatic complications include premature physeal arrest, three-dimensional deformities and consequent articular incongruity, compartment syndrome, and infection. The authors describe normal developmental phenomena and injury mechanisms of the ankle and foot and associated imaging findings; mimics and complications of acute fractures; and dislocations that affect the pediatric ankle and foot. Treatment strategies, whether conservative or surgical, are aimed at restoring articular congruency and functional alignment and, for pediatric patients specifically, protecting the physis. The different types of ankle and foot fractures are described, and the American College of Radiology guidelines used to determine appropriate imaging recommendations for patients who meet the Ottawa ankle and foot rules are discussed. The systems used to classify clinically important fractures, including the Salter-Harris, Dias-Tachdjian, Rapariz, and Hawkins systems, are described, with illustrations that reinforce key concepts. These classification systems aid in diagnosis and treatment planning, facilitate communication, and help standardize documentation and research. This information is intended to supplement radiologists' understanding of developmental phenomena, anatomic variants, fracture patterns, and associated complications that affect the pediatric foot and ankle. In addition, the role of imaging in ensuring appropriate treatment, follow-up, and patient and parent counseling is highlighted. The online slide presentation from the RSNA Annual Meeting is available for this article. ^©RSNA, 2020.

Pediatric ankle injuries: utilizing the Dias-Tachdjian classification

Pediatric ankle injuries require timely diagnosis due to their involvement of the distal tibial physis and subsequent impact on long bone growth. These injuries occur in a predictable pattern based on ankle position, direction of force, and degree of closure of the distal tibial physis. The Dias-Tachdjian classification describes possible ankle injury patterns for the completely open physis, and we present a simplified algorithm for applying this system in routine radiographic interpretation. Similar to the Lauge-Hansen classification in adults, the Dias-Tachdjian system is based on the position of the foot and direction of force at the time of injury with four major patterns: supination-inversion, pronation-eversion external rotation, supination-plantar flexion, and supination-external rotation. In addition, we examine the effect that the closing distal tibial physis has on adolescent fracture patterns (specifically, Tillaux and triplane fractures). Awareness of these injury patterns helps the radiologist to identify nondisplaced fractures and subtle physeal injuries with implications for surgical and/or conservative management.

[Fractures of the lower extremities in childhood : Part 2: lower leg and ankle fractures]

The treatment of pediatric patients in trauma surgery is a special situation in every aspect. For deciding on the correct treatment of fractures of the lower leg and ankle joint, various parameters, such as residual growth rate, skeletal age and height of the patient are decisive. The differences between fractures in children and adolescents are the open epiphyseal plate and the resulting residual growth. The bones of young children have a higher healing tendency and a greater potential for correction than in adolescents. Especially in the lower leg and the ankle joint, the potential for correction is decisive for the healing of fractures and for possible development of growth disorders. The limits of tolerance concerning axial malalignments and the expected spontaneous potential for correction must play an essential role for further treatment with conservative or operative therapy. This article deals with the special features of pediatric fractures of the lower leg and ankle joint.