Acute Ulnar Shortening for Delayed Presentation of Distal Radius Growth Arrest in an Adolescent

Prasad Ellanti,Paul Harrington

doi:10.1155/2012/928231

Abstract

Distal radius physeal fractures are common in children and adolescents. However, posttraumatic growth arrest is uncommon. The management of posttraumatic growth arrest is dependent on the severity of the deformity and the remaining growth potential of the patient. Various treatment options exist. We present a 17-year-old male with distal radius growth arrest who presented four years after the initial injury. He had a symptomatic 15 mm positive ulnar variance managed with an ulnar shortening osteotomy with the use of the AO mini distractor intraoperatively. To the best of our knowledge, an acute ulnar shortening of 15 mm is the largest reported.

Highlights

Posttraumatic distal radial growth arrest is uncommon despite the high incidence of physeal fractures [1]
We report a case of an adolescent male with a painful wrist due to a significant distal radius growth arrest managed with an acute 15 mm ulnar shortening osteotomy
Distal physeal fractures are very common among children and adolescents; posttraumatic growth arrest is uncommon [1]

Summary

Prasad Ellanti and Paul Harrington

Distal radius physeal fractures are common in children and adolescents. The management of posttraumatic growth arrest is dependent on the severity of the deformity and the remaining growth potential of the patient. We present a 17-year-old male with distal radius growth arrest who presented four years after the initial injury. He had a symptomatic 15 mm positive ulnar variance managed with an ulnar shortening osteotomy with the use of the AO mini distractor intraoperatively. To the best of our knowledge, an acute ulnar shortening of 15 mm is the largest reported

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