MSK Flashcards
What is a fracture?
Disruption in the integrity and continuity of bone associated with soft tissue injury
Why is there a unique fracture pattern in children?
- Compressibility of bones
- Increased fibrous strength of periosteum
- Presence of physes (growth plates)
What fracture lies at an angle to the long axis of the bone?
Oblique fracture
What fracture involves more than 1 fragment?
Communited fracture
What fracture has more than 1 fracture along the bone?
Segmental fracture
What fracture lies perpendicular to the long axis of the bone?
Transverse fracture
What is a spiral fracture?
A severe oblique fracture with rotation along long axis of bone
What is a greenstick fracture?
Incomplete fracture with angulation on opposite side
What are the most common neonatal fractures?
Clavicle
- From dystocia
- Great prognosis, no specific tx needed
Humerus or femur
- From breech delivery
- Heals rapidly with immobilisation
What are the causes of a fracture?
Trauma
- Direct force (penetrative, crushing)
- Indirect force (tension, compression, rotation)
Pathological
- Minor force causes fracture secondary to underlying bone weakness (malignancy, congenital)
What is the Salter-Harris classification?
Method used to grade fractures that occur in children and involve the growth plate.
The classification system grades fractures according to the involvement of the physis, metaphysis, and epiphysis.
What are the RFs for fracture?
- Contact sports
- Trampoline use
- RTA
- Osteogenesis imperfecta
- > Consider NAI with every child fracture
What are the S/S of a fracture?
Usually hx of trauma
- Assess if hx of NAI, time elapsed, force, possibility of glass contamination, associated head injury, medications and previous fractures
Closed fracture
- Pallor and swelling over fracture site
- Obvious deformity
Open fracture
- Bleeding and bruising over fracture
- Associated soft tissue injury
Neurovascular status
- Assess for distal numbness, tingling, paralysis, or loss of pulse
MSK examination
- Examine joint above and below for crepitus, effusion, and pain
Tuning fork test
- Exacerbates pain over small stress fractures
What are the investigations for a fracture?
- XR > usually in 2 views (frontal and lateral)
- Repeat XR
- MRI and bone scan
- Genetics for bleeding disorders and osteogenesis imperfecta
What is the management for a fracture?
1. Pain mx
- <16yrs = oral ibuprofen / paracetamol (IV if severe)
- > 16yrs = paracetamol +/- codeine +/- IV morphine
2. Immobilise the fracture
- Including proximal and distal joints
3. Sedation for manipulation
- 1st line = intranasal/oral midazolam or NO
- 2nd line / severe = intranasal ketamine
4. Manipulation and reduction
- Radial fractures = elbow plaster cast or k-wire fixation
- Femoral shaft fractures =
Neonates = padded splints or Pavlik’s harness
<18m = Gallows traction
1-6yrs = straight less skin traction
>4yrs = intramedullary nail (+ more support if >11yrs)
5. Manage infection including tetanus prophylaxis
6. IV broad spectrum abx for open injuries
7. Physiotherapy
What is Perthes’ Disease?
A neurodegenerative condition affecting the hip joints of children, due to idiopathic avascular necrosis of the femoral head, specifically the femoral epiphysis
What is the difference between Perthes’ and SUFE?
Perthes’ = Primary School
SUFE = Secondary School
When does Perthes’ occur?
Typically 4-8yrs
Far more common in boys
What are the RFs for Perthes’
Hyperactivity
Short stature
What are the S/S of Perthes’?
Classic presentation is a painless limp
Pain that progresses over a few weeks
- Limp = early sign, intermittent, post-exercise
- Pain = may have mild/intermittent pain in anterior thigh/hip (secondary to necrosis of affected bone)
- Stiffness / reduced ROM in hip = particularly rotation and abduction, global in late stage
- Limb shortening = leg length inequality
- Gluteal wasting
What are the investigations for Perthes’?
Trendelenburg Test:
- Positive
Roll test:
- Supine, roll affected hip internally and externally > guarding or spasm (esp. on internal)
Bloods:
- FBC, CRP/ESR (SA), Hb electrophoresis (sickle cell)
Joint aspiration
- SA
XR +/- MRI
- Early changes = widening of joint space / increased density of femoral head
- Later changes = decreased femoral head size / fragmented and irregular/flattened femoral head
What system is used to classify Perthes disease based on radiographic features?
Cattarall Staging
Stage 1
- Bone absorption changes visible only in anterior aspect of epiphysis
- No sclerosis
Stage 2
- Further bone resorption with slight femoral head collapse in the anterior aspect
- Sclerosis
Stage 3
- Almost entire femoral head involved in collapse with characteristic ‘head within head’ appearance
- Sclerosis
Stage 4
- Complete collapse of femoral head
- Additional metaphyseal changes may be visible
- Sclerosis
- Posterior remodelling
What is the management of Perthes’ ?
<6yrs / mild: Conservative
- Will heal well without any specific treatment
- Kept under observation
- PT or at home exercises
- Keep femoral head within the acetabulum > cast, braces
- Simple analgesia
>6yrs / severe: Surgery considered
- Moderate results
- Older children have a poorer prognosis
What is Osgood-Schlatter Disease?
A type of osteochondrosis characterised by inflammation of the tibial tuberosity (where the patellar tendon attaches to the top of the tibia) in growing adolescents
What are the causes of OSD?
- Following growth spurt
- Sports (esp with high knee impact e.g. jumping)
When does OSD occur?
Most common knee disorder in adolescence
10-15yrs
M > F
What are the symptoms of OSD?
- Knee pain after exercise > gradual onset, relieved by rest / exacerbated by activity
- Localised tenderness and swelling over tibial tuberosity
- Hamstring tightness
What are the signs of OSD?
Pain reproducible on extending knee against resistance, stressing the quadriceps or squatting with knee in full flexion
What are the investigations for OSD?
Clinical diagnosis
+/- XR (indicated by Ottawa knee rules)
- Fractures / fragmentation of the tibial tubercle
- Overlying soft tissue swelling
What is the management for OSD?
Reassurance
- Will resolve over time but may persist until end of growth spurt
Conservative
- Avoidance/reduction of offending activity
- Proper stretching before/after exercise may reduce symptoms
- Analgesia (paracetamol or NSAIDs)
- Ice packs (over tibial tuberosity, 10-15 mins, <=3/d, after exercise)
- Protective knee pads (may relieve pain when kneeling)
What is Chondromalacia Patallae?
Anterior knee pain from softening of the cartilage on underside of the kneecap
What causes Chondromalacia Patallae?
> Common in young adults from overuse in physical activity
What are the S/S of Chondromalacia Patallae?
- Anterior knee pain
- Pain exacerbated by running, climbing stairs, getting up from chair
- Characteristically anterior knee pain on walking up and down stairs and rising from prolonged sitting
- Painless passive movements but repeated extension causes pain and grating sensation