Carpal fractures in children

Carpal fractures in children are uncommon injuries, with the scaphoid bring fractured most frequently. Thirty three children with scaphoid fractures a nd one child each with fractures of triquetrum, trapezoid, hamate, and capi tate were retrospectively reviewed. The mean age was 13 years, 4 months. Th e mechanism of injury was of low energy in most cases, with >80% of injurie s involving a fall. Localizing tenderness was present in 100% of cases. Of fractures, 97.3% were evident on the initial radiographs. One patient requi red a bone scan to confirm the diagnosis. All but one scaphoid fracture wen t on to union with conservative treatment in a long-arm thumb spica cast or short-arm thumb spica cast at a mean of 7.1 weeks. All other carpal fractu res healed at a mean of 4.5 weeks. The one scaphoid nonunion was attributed to noncompliance by the patient.