Pediatric Knee Trauma

The immature knee sustains unique injuries when traumatized, and optimum management of pediatric knee injuries requires specific knowledge of the various types of injuries that may occur. In this Special Focus Section, we review injuries of the physes and epiphyses of the distal femur and proximal tibia, as well as the growing extensor mechanism. Importantly, in the pediatric population, severe injuries requiring surgical management can be associated with very subtle imaging findings, such as the patellar sleeve fracture, or vascular injuries associated with innocuous-appearing injuries of the proximal tibial epiphysis.

In the first article, Drs. Young and Stans provide a comprehensive review of the management of physeal fractures of the distal femur. These injuries require expert management, as they are associated with a worse prognosis than are other physeal injuries. Next, Dr. Sessions et al similarly review injuries of the extensor mechanism, including injuries of the tibial apophysis and the patella. Finally, Drs. Tileston and Frick discuss epiphyseal and physeal injuries of the proximal tibia. All three articles review the initial evaluation, classification, management options, and complications of these injuries, and I hope that the readers find these articles to be a useful resource in their practice.