Pediatric orthopedic emergencies

Pediatric orthopedic emergencies

Pediatric orthopedic emergencies

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🦴 Tiny Bones, Big Trouble

EmergencyPresentationKey RiskManagement
Septic ArthritisInfant/toddler, fever, non-weight bearing, hip painAvascular Necrosis (AVN)Arthrocentesis, I&D, IV Abx
Supracondylar FxFOOSH, elbow swelling, "S"-shaped deformityMedian n. / Brachial a. injury → Volkmann's contractureClosed reduction & pinning
SCFEObese adolescent, limp, hip/thigh/knee painAVN, ChondrolysisSurgical pinning (in situ)
Compartment SyndromePain out of proportion, tense/swollen limbPermanent muscle/nerve damage⚠️ Emergent Fasciotomy

🤕 Ouchies & Odd Angles

  • Universal Signs: Limp, refusal to bear weight, focal tenderness, swelling, erythema, deformity (angulation, rotation), ↓ range of motion.
  • Specific Postures:
    • Septic Hip: Held in flexion, abduction, & external rotation.
    • SCFE: Obligatory external rotation with passive hip flexion.
ConditionClassic PatientKey Findings
Septic ArthritisToddler, acute feverSevere pain on passive motion, won't bear weight
DDHNewborn/Infant+Ortolani/Barlow, asymmetric gluteal folds, limited abduction
SCFEObese adolescentGroin/thigh/knee pain, painful limp, externally rotated leg
LCPYoung boy (4-8 yo)Insidious, often painless limp, ↓ internal rotation

High-Yield: Hip pathology (like SCFE or LCP) frequently presents as referred pain to the knee. Always examine the hip in a child with knee pain

🚩 Diagnosis - Spotting Red Flags

  • Systemic Signs: Fever, irritability, malaise, poor feeding.
  • Limb-Specific Signs:
    • Refusal to bear weight: The most sensitive sign for serious pathology.
    • Severe pain on passive motion: Suggests joint or deep infection/inflammation.
    • Night cries: Can indicate constant, severe pain (e.g., osteomyelitis, tumor).
  • Septic Arthritis (Hip): 📌 Kocher Criteria
    • Non-weight-bearing on affected side
    • Fever > 38.5°C ($101.3^\circ F$)
    • ESR > 40 mm/hr
    • WBC > 12,000/mm³
  • Compartment Syndrome:
    • ⚠️ Pain out of proportion to injury is the key early sign.
    • The 6 P's: Pain, Pallor, Paresthesia, Pulselessness (late), Paralysis (late), Poikilothermia.

⭐ A child holding a limb in a specific position (e.g., hip flexed, abducted, externally rotated for septic arthritis) is a major red flag for minimizing pain from an effusion.

🚑 Management - Fix 'Em Fast

  • Septic Arthritis:
    • Urgent surgical Incision & Drainage (I&D).
    • IV antibiotics (e.g., Vancomycin, Ceftriaxone) guided by Gram stain/culture.
  • SCFE (Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis):
    • Make patient non-weight bearing immediately.
    • Surgical fixation: In situ pinning with a single screw.
  • Compartment Syndrome:
    • ⚠️ Clinical diagnosis is paramount; do not delay for pressure measurements.
    • Emergent fasciotomy.
  • Displaced Supracondylar Fracture:
    • Assess neurovascular status (brachial artery, median nerve).
    • Urgent closed reduction and percutaneous pinning (CRPP).

⭐ For SCFE, prophylactic pinning of the contralateral, asymptomatic hip is often performed due to the high risk (20-40%) of a subsequent contralateral slip.

Bilateral SCFE pinning on hip X-ray

⚠️ Complications - Future Trouble Codes

  • Avascular Necrosis (AVN): High risk in SCFE, DDH, and femoral neck fractures.
  • Growth Arrest/Deformity: Physeal injuries (Salter-Harris III-V) can cause limb length discrepancy or angulation.
  • Joint Destruction: Untreated septic arthritis leads to rapid cartilage loss.
  • Permanent Deficits: Compartment syndrome causes Volkmann's ischemic contracture.

⭐ AVN of the femoral head is a dreaded complication of unstable SCFE, often requiring future arthroplasty.

⚡ Biggest Takeaways

  • Septic arthritis is a surgical emergency in a febrile child refusing to bear weight. Staph aureus is the most common cause.
  • SCFE affects obese adolescents with hip/knee pain. Requires urgent surgical pinning to prevent AVN.
  • Supracondylar fracture risks brachial artery/median nerve injury (Volkmann's contracture).
  • DDH is screened with Barlow/Ortolani. Diagnose with ultrasound (<4-6 mo) or X-ray (>4-6 mo).
  • Legg-Calvé-Perthes is idiopathic avascular necrosis of the femoral head in children 4-8 years old.
  • Nursemaid's elbow (radial head subluxation) is reduced by supination and flexion.

Practice Questions: Pediatric orthopedic emergencies

Test your understanding with these related questions

A 6-week-old boy is brought for routine examination at his pediatrician’s office. The patient was born at 39 weeks to a 26-year-old G1P1 mother by normal vaginal delivery. External cephalic version was performed successfully at 37 weeks for breech presentation. Pregnancy was complicated by gestational diabetes that was well-controlled with insulin. The patient’s maternal grandmother has early onset osteoporosis. On physical examination, the left hip dislocates posteriorly with adduction and depression of a flexed femur. An ultrasound is obtained that reveals left acetabular dysplasia and a dislocated left femur. Which of the following is the next best step in management?

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Flashcards: Pediatric orthopedic emergencies

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Necrotizing fasciitis causes bullae formation, _____ skin discoloration, and pain out of proportion to exam findings

TAP TO REVEAL ANSWER

Necrotizing fasciitis causes bullae formation, _____ skin discoloration, and pain out of proportion to exam findings

purple (color)

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