Combined fracture of the distal radius and scaphoid in children. Report of 2 cases.


Published online: Feb 27 2003

Smida M, Nigrou K, Soohun T, Sallem R, Jalel C, Ben Ghachem M.

Department of Pediatric Orthopaedics, Tunis Children's Hospital (Hopital d'Enfants de Tunis), Bab Saadoun 1007 Tunis, Tunisia

Abstract

The authors report 2 cases of concomitant scaphoid and distal radial fractures, a rare combination of lesions in children. The first case was in a 13-year-old boy who presented a transverse midscaphoid fracture associated with a Salter type II distal radial fracture. The second concerned a 10-year-old boy who presented a bilateral wrist injury. On the left side, a distal forearm fracture with anterior displacement was associated with a transverse midscaphoid fracture. On the right side, there was only a distal forearm fracture. Scaphoid fracture associated with distal radial fracture seems to have been more frequently reported in the literature during the last decade, probably because it is more frequently recognised. In fact, children with distal forearm injury should be well examined both clinically and radiologically in order to search for an associated scaphoid fracture. Reduction of the radius fracture should be done carefully to avoid possible displacement of the scaphoid fracture.