Children's orthopaedics Flashcards
How many bones are found in a child skeleton?
270
Describe the steps of intramembranous ossification
Mesenchymal cells condense and differentiate to form osteoblasts- ossification centre forms
Osteoblasts secrete osteoid and then become trapped in the osteoid to become osteocytes
Trabecular matrix and periosteum form
Compact bone forms superficial to cancellous bone
Blood vessels condense to become red bone marrow
Immature woven bone is remodelled and progressively replaced by mature lamellae bone
What bones form through intramembranous ossification?
Flat bones of cranium, clavicle
What are the two types of ossification centres formed during endochondral ossification
Primary ossification centres: sites of pre-natal long bone growth through endochondral ossification from the central part of bone
Secondary ossification centre: sites of post natal growth of long bones, often long bones have several (physes)
Describe the steps of primary ossification in endochondral ossification
Mesenchymal cells differentiate at the primary ossification centre in the diaphysis (middle shaft of bone) during the prenatal period.
Cartilage model of future bony skeleton forms
Capillaries pierce cartilage, leading to calcification and formation of spongy bone up the shaft.
Perichondrium becomes periosteum
Chondrocytes and cartilage continue to grow at the proximal and distal ends of bone
Secondary ossification develops at the bone ends with their own blood supply and matrix calcifies and forms immature spongy bone
Left with cartilage at distal and proximal ends of bone with epiphyseal growth plate which will be point of secondary endochondral ossification in post natal period
Describe the steps of secondary ossification
By the time the child is born, cartilage remains at the front surfaces of long bone as articular cartilage and between the diaphysis and epiphysis as epiphyseal growth plates (physes)
These physes are responsible for post natal long bone elongation
Epiphyseal side: Hyaline cartilage is active and divides to form hyaline cartilage matrix
Diaphyseal side: cartilage matrix calcifies, dies and is replaced by bone
What are the 4 ways in which a child’s skeleton differs from that of an adult skeleton?
Elasticity
Physis- growth occurs at varying rates at different physis sites
Speed of healing and remodelling potential
Remodelling: children have higher remodelling potential
((also thick periosteum?))
Why are children’s bones more elastic than those of adults?
Children’s bone contain more Haversian canals (tunnels in bone cortices that circulate blood supply) as child’s bones are more metabolically active since they continually grow
What kind of injury can occur to child’s bones as a result of increased elasticity?
Plastic deformity- bones bend before they break
Buckle fractures- Torus fracture
Greenstick fractures- one side of the bone snaps while the other buckles but does not break
When does bone growth stop and what influences this to happen?
Bone growth stops on physis closure, influenced by:
Gradual physeal closure
Puberty
Menarche
Parental height
What age does physis closure occur in girls and in boys?
Girls- 15-16 years
Boys- 18-19 years
What complication can happen if physeal injury occurs?
Growth arrest leading to deformity
What classification system is used to categorise physeal injuries?
Salter Harris classification
What are the categories of physeal injury in the Salter Harris classification?
type 1- physeal Seperation
type 2- fracture transverses physis and exits metaphysis (Above)
type 3- fracture transverses physis and exits epiphysis (Lower)
type 4- fracture passes Through epiphysis, physis and metaphysis
type 5- crush injury to physis
SALT algorithm (acronym for first four)
What is the most common type of Salter Harris physeal injury and how does risk change across categories?
Type 2
risk increases 1-5
What 2 major factors does speed of healing and remodelling potential depend on?
Age of patient- younger children heal faster
Location of fracture-
Physis at knee grows more (distal femur, proximal tibia)
Physis at extremes of upper limb grows more (shoulder and wrist)
If bone breaks and reforms along same angle, more likely to heal better
What are the components of the PAID method of describing fractures
Pattern
Anatomy
Intraarticular/ Extraarticular
Displacement
What is the pattern of bone fracture reflective of?
The way energy is dissipated
Give examples for different patterns of bone fracture
Transverse
Oblique
Spiral: rotational torque pattern
Comminuted: high energy fracture with >1 part
Avulsion: Bone fragment is pulled off by its ligament
Can have plastic deformity, buckle fractures, greenstick fractures in children
What does the term anatomy describe in relation to bone fracture?
Location of fracture (proximal 1/3, middle 1/3, distal 1/3)
What important consideration is there for children with fractures in proximal and distal 1/3 of bone?
Physeal injury may cause growth arrest and deformity, therefore manage differently to adult fractures
What are the 2 ways bone healing occurs?
Primary healing- heals through direct union, no callus forms
Secondary healing- callus forms
What is the preferred mode of bone healing in intraarticular fractures and why?
Primary healing- minimises risk of post traumatic arthritis
Is secondary healing more common in intraarticular fractures or extraarticular fractures?
Extraarticular fractures
When can remodelling allow for displacement and when can it not?
Remodelling occurs best in angle of function- translation, angulation, shortened fractures
Remodelling doesn’t occur in rotated fractures
What factors affect the nature of growth arrest caused by physeal injury?
Location of injury
Timing of injury
What is difference in the resultant deformities in whole physis injury vs partial physis injury
If the whole physis is injured limb length discrepancy occurs
If partial physeal injury occurs there is angulation as uninjured side continues growing
How does timing of physeal injury change outcome?
- If you’re closer to physeal closure when injury happens there’s only a small amount of growth potential left
- If you get injury to physis when you’re younger, it’s a larger part of the limb’s growth so potential for growth arrest is much greater
What are the aims of growth arrest treatment
Minimise limb length discrepancy: either by shortening uninjured side (crossed screws for premature growth arrest) or lengthening injured side (plate and screws)
Minimise angular deformity: cause growth arrest on uninjured side, reform bone on injured side (osteotomy)
What are the 4 Rs of fracture management?
Resuscitate: paediatric advanced trauma life support pathway
Reduce: correct displacement and deformity
Restrict: Maintain fracture reduction to provide stability for fracture reduction
Rehabilitate