Acute hip pain in the nonambulatory infant: Salter-Harris type I fracture in the capital femoral epiphysis without a traumatic history

An otherwise healthy 11-month-old girl was brought to the hospital after her parents noted the acute onset of right hip pain and refusal to bear weight. No abnormalities were seen in the initial radiographs, laboratory values were within reference range, and noninvasive workup was negative for septi...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inPediatric emergency care Vol. 22; no. 5; p. 364
Main Authors Gross, Shari L, Orndorff, Douglas G, Romness, Mark, Poelstra, Kornelis A
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.05.2006
Subjects
Acute Disease
Biopsy, Needle
Child Abuse - diagnosis
Diagnosis, Differential
Female
Femoral Fractures - classification
Femoral Fractures - complications
Femoral Fractures - diagnosis
Femoral Fractures - therapy
Humans
Infant
Pain - etiology
Treatment Outcome
Online AccessGet more information

Cover

More Information
Summary:An otherwise healthy 11-month-old girl was brought to the hospital after her parents noted the acute onset of right hip pain and refusal to bear weight. No abnormalities were seen in the initial radiographs, laboratory values were within reference range, and noninvasive workup was negative for septic arthritis. The parents reported a recent minor fall from a standing position, but stated that the child seemed to return to normal without pain after a few minutes of crying. A hemarthrosis without purulence was found upon joint aspiration, and the patient improved significantly after administration of anti-inflammatory medication. Follow-up radiographs 13 days after initial presentation showed an extremely rare Salter-Harris type I proximal physeal fracture well into the healing process.
ISSN:1535-1815
DOI:10.1097/01.pec.0000216567.10876.48