paediatric orthopaedics Flashcards
What are the main causes of hip pain in 0-4 years?
Septic arthritis
Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH)
Transient sinovitis
What are the main causes of hip pain in 5-10 years?
Septic arthritis
Transient sinovitis
Perthes disease
What are the main causes of hip pain in 10-16 years?
Septic arthritis
Slipped upper femoral epiphysis (SUFE)
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis
What conditions are you looking for when doing blood tests for hip pain?
inflammatory markers (CRP and ESR) for JIA and septic arthritis
What conditions are you looking for when you do X-rays for hip pain?
fractures, SUFE and other boney pathology
What are you looking for when you do an ultrasound in someone with hip pain?
effusion (fluid) in the joint
What condition are you looking for when you do joint aspiration for hip pain?
septic arthritis
What condition are you looking for when you do an MRI for hip pain?
osteomyelitis
What might hip pain in a child present with?
Limp
Refusal to use the affected leg
Refusal to weight bare
Inability to walk
Pain
Swollen or tender joint
What are the red flags for hip pain?
Child under 3 years
Fever
Waking at night with pain
Weight loss
Anorexia
Night sweats
Fatigue
Persistent pain
Stiffness in the morning
Swollen or red joint
What are the criteria for urgent referral for assessment in a limping child?
Child under 3 years
Child older than 9 with a restricted or painful hip
Not able to weight bare
Evidence of neurovascular compromise
Severe pain or agitation
Red flags for serious pathology
suspicion of abuse
What is another name for growth plates?
Epiphyseal plates
In whom are growth plates found?
Bones of children, not adults
What are growth plates made of?
Hyaline cartilage
Where do growth plates sit?
Between the epiphysis and metaphysis
What do growth plates become when they fuse in teenage years?
Epiphyseal lines
What is cancellous bone?
spongy, highly vascular bone in the centre of long bones.
What is cortical bone?
compact, hard bone around the outside
Do children have more cancellous or cortical bone?
Cancellous which makes children’s bones more flexible but less strong
Are children more likely to get fractures or breaks?
Fractures
What fractures are children more likely to get?
Greenstick fractures and buckle fractures
What is a greenstick fracture?
where only one side of the bone breaks whilst the other side of the bone stays intact
What are the different types of fractures?
Buckle (torus)
Transverse
Oblique
Spiral
Segmental
Salter-Harris (growth plate fracture)
Comminuted
Greenstick
How are growth plate fractures classified?
Salter-Harris classification
What is the pneumonic to remember the types of growth plate fractures?
SALTR
What are the types of growth plate fractures?
Type 1: Straight across
Type 2: Above
Type 3: BeLow
Type 4: Through
Type 5: CRush
What are the two ways to achieve mechanical alignment of a fracture?
Closed reduction via manipulation of the joint
Open reduction via surgery
What are the ways to provide relative stability of a fracture?
External casts
K wires
Intramedullary wires
Intramedullary nails
Screws
Plate and screws
What is the pain management ladder for children?
Step 1: Paracetamol or ibuprofen
Step 2: Morphine
What pain medications are not used in children?
Codeine and tramadol
Why are codeine and tramadol not used in children?
there is unpredictability in their metabolism, so the effects vary too greatly to make them safe and effective options.
Why is aspirin not used in children under 16 years old?
due to the risk of Reye’s syndrome
When is aspirin sometimes used in children under 16 years old?
In kawasaki disease
In what age is septic arthritis most common in children?
Under 4 years old
What is septic arthritis a common complication of?
Joint replacement- occurs in around 1% of straight forward hip or knee replacements
How many joints does septic arthritis tend to affect?
only one joint normally
What organism is the most common cause of septic arthritis?
Staphylococcus aureus
What organisms can cause septic arthritis apart from staph aureus?
Neisseria gonorrhoea (gonococcus) in sexually active teenagers
Group A streptococcus (Streptococcus pyogenes)
Haemophilus influenza
Escherichia coli (E. coli)
What is the presentation of septic arthritis?
Rapid onset of:
Hot, swollen and painful joint
Refusing to weight bare
stiffness and reduced range of motion
systemic symptoms such as fever, lethargy an sepsis
What are the differential diagnosis for septic arthritis?
Transient sinovitis
Perthes disease
Slipped upper femoral epiphysis
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis
What is the sample from joint aspiration sent for if concerned about septic arthritis?
gram staining, crystal microscopy, culture and antibiotic sensitivities
How long are antibiotics usually given for in septic arthritis?
3 to 6 weeks- given empirically
What is transient synovitis also known as?
Irritable hip
What is transient synovitis caused by?
temporary (transient) irritation and inflammation in the synovial membrane of the joint (synovitis)
What is the most common cause of hip pain in 3-10 year olds?
Transient synovitis
What is transient synovitis associated with?
Viral upper respiratory tract infection
What is the difference in presentation of septic arthritis and transient synovitis?
Children with transient synovitis typically do not have fever
What is the presentation of transient synovitis?
Limp
Refusal to weight bare
Groin or hip pain
Mid low grade temperature
Otherwise well
How long does it take transient synovitis to fully resolve?
1-2 weeks
In what percentage does transient synovitis tend to reoccur?
20%
What is the management for transient synovitis?
simple analgesia
What is Perthes disease?
Disruption of blood flow to the femoral head, causing avascular necrosis of the bone