Paediatric Trauma

Question 1

What is the periosteum of a bone and is it thicker in children or adult bones?

Answer 1

Bit of the bone that increases the width/circumference of growing long bones
Thicker in children

Question 2

Why do children’s fractures heal more quickly than adults?

Answer 2

Thicker periosteum which has lots of osteoblasts in it

Children’s bones have greater potential to remodel along lines of stress

Question 3

At what age are children’s fractures treated as adult fractures?

Answer 3

Puberty (age 12-14)

Question 4

What is Salter-Harris classification and how many types are there?

Answer 4

Classification of different fractures involving the physics (growth plate)
Salter-Harris I to V

Question 5

What is the correlation between prognosis and the Slater-Harris classification progression?

Answer 5

The further the progression the worse the prognosis e.g. Type V fracture has worse prognosis than Type I

Question 6

What is a Salter-Harris I fracture?

Answer 6

Pure physeal separation

Question 7

What is a Salter-Harris II fracture?

Answer 7

Same as Type I fracture (pure physeal separation) except with a small metaphyseal fragment attached

Question 8

What is the most common Salter-Harris fracture?

Answer 8

Type II

Question 9

What is a Salter-Harris III/IV fracture?

Answer 9

Intra-articular fracture that splits the physis

Question 10

What is a Salter-Harris V fracture and what is the result of these fractures?

Answer 10

compression injury to the physis - subsequent growth arrest

Question 11

What is a femoral fracture in <2yrs old child a sign of?

Answer 11

NAI