Child Abuse Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Child Abuse, including details on family violence, examinations, long-term effects, psychiatrics disorders.

Traumatic sternal segment dislocation in a 19-month-old.

Pawar RV, Blacksin MF

Department of Radiology, New Jersey Medical School, University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey, 150 Bergen Street, Room C-320, Newark, NJ 07103, USA. rvp325@yahoo.com

Sternal fractures in the pediatric population are uncommon. Traumatic sternal segment dislocation is even more unusual. Such injuries are typically considered to be the result of child abuse, until proven otherwise. A review of the few case reports documenting pediatric sternal segment dislocation, and the current report, demonstrate that this injury may, in fact, be more benign than previously considered. It is easily recognized with appropriate imaging, and treatment may only require observation, unless symptoms are severe enough to warrant surgical intervention.

Published 9 November 2007 in Emerg Radiol, 14(6): 435-7.
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