EARLY POSTTRAUMATIC PHYSEAL ARREST IN DISTAL RADIUS AFTER A COMPRESSION INJURY

Early postraumatic arrest of the distal radial physis is an uncommon c omplication and usually appears after type II physeal injury. We repor t a 13-year-old boy who sustained an injury to his right wrist, incurr ing an avulsion fracture of ulnar styloid process. Twenty-one months l ater, a uniform closure of the distal radial physis was observed. An u lnar shortening osteotomy and distal ulnar epiphysiodesis were perform ed. We discuss differ ent factors of this complication, but crush inju ry of germinal cells of the growthplate is considered the main etiolog y.