Hoverboard injuries in children and adolescents: results of a multicenter study.

With the increasing popularity of hoverboards in recent years, multiple centers have noted associated orthopaedic injuries of riders. We report the results of a multi-center study regarding hoverboard injuries in children and adolescents. who presented with extremity fractures while riding hoverboards to 12 paediatric orthopaedic centers during a 2-month period were included in the study. Circumstances of the injury, location, severity, associated injuries, and the required treatment were recorded and analysed using descriptive analysis to report the most common injuries. Between-group differences in injury location were examined using chi-squared statistics among (1) children versus adolescents and (2) males versus females. Seventy-eight patients (M/F ratio: 1.8) with average age of 11 ± 2.4 years were included in the study. Of the 78 documented injuries, upper extremity fractures were the most common (84.6%) and the most frequent fracture location overall was at the distal radius and ulna (52.6%), while ankle fractures comprised most of the lower extremity fractures (66.6%). Majority of the distal radius fractures (58.3%) and ankle fractures (62.5%) were treated with immobilization only. Seventeen displaced distal radius fractures and three displaced ankle fractures were treated with closed reduction in the majority of cases (94.1% versus 66.7%, respectively). The distal radius and ulna are the most common fracture location. Use of appropriate protective gear such as wrist guards, as well as adult supervision, may help mitigate the injuries associated with the use of this device; however, further studies are necessary to demonstrate the real effectiveness of these preventions.

Minimally Invasive Scoliosis Surgery: A Novel Technique in Patients with Neuromuscular Scoliosis.

Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has been described in the treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) and adult scoliosis. The advantages of this approach include less blood loss, shorter hospital stay, earlier mobilization, less tissue disruption, and relatively less pain. However, despite these significant benefits, MIS approach has not been reported in neuromuscular scoliosis patients. This is possibly due to concerns with longer surgery time, which is further increased due to more levels fused and instrumented, challenges of pelvic fixation, size and number of incisions, and prolonged anesthesia. We modified the MIS approach utilized in our AIS patients to be implemented in our neuromuscular patients. Our technique allows easy passage of contoured rods, placement of pedicle screws without image guidance, partial/complete facet resection, and all standard reduction maneuvers. Operative time needed to complete this surgery is comparable to the standard procedure and the majority of our patients have been extubated at the end of procedure, spending 1 day in the PICU and 5-6 days in the hospital. We feel that MIS is not only a feasible but also a superior option in patients with neuromuscular scoliosis. Long-term results are unavailable; however, short-term results have shown multiple benefits of this approach and fewer limitations.

Septic bursitis in an 8-year-old boy.

Background. The prepatellar bursa can become inflamed owing to repeated trauma. Prepatellar bursitis is extremely rare in children. Methods. We report the case of an 8-year-old boy who was treated for an erythematous, swollen, and severely painful right knee, fever, inability to bear weight on the leg, and purulent material draining from a puncture wound. We describe the differential diagnosis for tender swollen knee, including infection, gout, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoarthritis. If untreated, prepatellar bursitis can progress to patellar osteomyelitis. Results. Wound cultures grew Streptococcus pyogenes, with the infection resolving with amoxicillin. Conclusions. A high index of suspicion is necessary in children presenting with prepatellar bursitis to prevent potentially devastating sequelae of infection of the septic joint.