Ahmet Berkay Girgin, Ahmet Acar, Ömer Torun, Hakan Aslan, Evrim Duman, Osman Yağız Atlı, Hüseyin Bilgehan Çevik
Southern Clinics of Istanbul Eurasia - 2025;36(3):228-232
Objective: Fractures of the distal femoral physes usually occur after high energy trauma and they are serious injuries of pediatric population. This aim of this sudy is to examine distal femoral physeal fractures treated in a level I pediatric trauma center epidemiologically and to report the complications that occurred during follow-up. Methods: Patients, <18 years of age, admitted to the emergency department with distal femoral physeal fractures were included in the study. Demographic data, medical history, preoperative findings, injury mechanisms, postoperative outcomes, complications during fol-low-up period of the patients were noted. Salter-Harris classification was used to categorize the fractures. Results: In total, 21 patients, with a mean age of 12.3 years (range, 1-16 years), were included in the study. Male to female ratio was 2.5. 12 patients (57.2%) had Salter-Harris type 2 fractures and it was the most common type. 19 (90.5%) fractures were treated surgically with different fixation methods. Mean follow-up duration was 97 months (range, 72-133 months). Complications observed during follow-up were genu valgum (n=2, 9.5%), limb length discrepancy (n=2, 9.5%), reoperation (n=7, 33.3%) and joint stiffness (n=1, 4.8%). Conclusion: Distal femoral physeal injuries are injuries with a high rate of complications and these complications, like growth disturbance, may cause serious problems in adulthood. Although this injury is relatively uncommon, patients should be treated appropriately and followed regularly until skeletal maturity for possible late complications.
