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Updated: Nov 29, 2025
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Published on: July 5, 2011
[Diagnosis of complete transphyseal separation of the distal humerus]
Ahmed A Abood1, Ole Rahbek, Knud S Christensen
1a.abood@rn.dk.
Insights
Transphyseal separation of the distal humerus is a rare infant injury. Advanced imaging like MRI or ultrasound is crucial for diagnosis, as conventional X-rays may fail to detect it.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Orthopedics
- Radiology
- Traumatology
Background:
- Transphyseal separation of the distal humerus is a rare pediatric injury.
- Common causes include trauma, battered child syndrome, and birth-related injuries.
- Diagnosis in infants is challenging due to the cartilaginous nature of their elbows.
Observation:
- This case report highlights the diagnostic difficulties of distal humerus transphyseal separation in infants.
- Conventional radiographs can be insufficient for detecting this injury.
- Advanced imaging modalities are essential for accurate diagnosis.
Findings:
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), arthrography, or ultrasound are recommended for detecting transphyseal separations.
- The infant in this case was successfully treated non-operatively.
- Good clinical outcomes were achieved with non-operative management.
Implications:
- Emphasizes the need for high-suspicion and appropriate imaging in diagnosing elbow injuries in infants.
- Highlights the potential for non-operative management in select cases of distal humerus transphyseal separation.
- Contributes to the understanding of rare pediatric orthopedic injuries and their diagnostic challenges.
Abstract:
Transphyseal separation of the distal humerus is a rare injury. Trauma, battered child syndrome and birth-related injuries are amongst the most common causes of the injury. This case report illustrates the importance of applying proper imaging and analysis to detect the injury. However, the diagnosis can be missed on conventional radiographs due to the cartilaginous elbow in infants. Instead, magnetic resonance imaging, artrography or ultra-sound can be applied to detect the injury. In this case, the infant was treated non-operatively with good clinical outcome.
