A0s
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEONS
Your Source for Lifelong Orthopaedic Learning
Pediatric
Orthopedic
Answer Book
, 2025 Pediatric Orthopaedic Examination Answer Book · 7
Figure 1a Figure 1b
Question 1
A 5-year-old boy has had a limp for the past 4 weeks with intermittent pain at the foot. He remains
normally active and has no history of trauma. He has no fevers, rashes, or swelling. Examination reveals
tenderness at the mid-dorsum of the foot medially. Radiographs are seen in Figures 1a and l b. Treatment
should include which of the following?
1. MRl of the foot with gadolinium
2. Open biopsy of the lesion
3. Needle aspiration and culture, followed by antibiotic treatment
4. Observation or an orthotic arch support
5. Steroid injection of the lesion
PREFERRED RESPONSE: 4
DISCUSSION: Osteochondrosis of the tarsal navicular is most commonly identified between the ages of
2 and 9 years. The condition is benign and self limited in nature. In patients with severe pain, a period
of casting may be warranted, but otherwise management usually consists of observation or a supportive
orthotic.
REFERENCES: DiGiovanni CW, Patel A, Calfee R, et al: Osteonecrosis in the foot. JAm Acad Orthop
Surg 2007; 15 :208-217.
Williams GA, Cowell HR: Kohler's disease of the tarsal navicular. Clin Orthop Relat Res 198 1; 158:53-
58.
,8 American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
•
Figure 2
Question 2
A 3 -year-old girl has had pain and swelling in her left thigh for the past 3 weeks. Her mother states she
has had a temperature as high as 10 0.4 degrees F (38 degrees C) and a weight loss of 5 pounds. A CBC
shows a WBC count of 11 ,000/mm3 , an erythroc yte sedimentation rate of 13 mmlh, and a C-reactive
protein of 0.3. A radiograph is shown in Figure What is the next step in management?
1. Biopsy and culture of the lesion
2. MRI of the left femur
3. IV antibiotics for 6 weeks
4. Incision and drainage of the left femur
5. Repeat radiograph in 3 months
P REFERRED RE SPON SE: 2
DI SCU SSION: The history and laboratory studies indicate that this is not an infection. A lesion in this
location and in this age group is likely a Ewing's sarcoma. The presentation is usually a painful mass.
About 20% of patients have a fever. The radiograph shows a typical mottled, permeative lesion with
periosteal reaction. An MRIscan should be obtained to further evaluate the soft-tissue mass. Staging of
the lesion should take place before biopsy, which should be done by the surgeon who would be perfo rming
the next stage of surgical treatment, ideally an orthopaedic oncologist.
REFE RENCE S: Gibbs CP Jr, Weber K, Scarborough MT: Malignant bone tumors . Instr Course Lect
2002;5 1 :4 1 3-428.
Meyer IS, Nadel HR, Marina N, et al: Imaging guidelines for children with Ewing s arcoma and
osteosarcoma: A report from the Children's Oncology Group Bone Tumor Committee. Pediatr Blood
Cancer 2008;5 1 : 1 6 3 - 1 70 .
, 2025 Pediatric Orthopaedic Examination Answer Book · 9
Figure 3
Question 3
A f9-year-old fgirl fhas fhad fbilateral fknee fand fleg fpain ffor fthe fpast f2 fyears. f The ffamily fhas fnoted
fincreasing fdeformity fin fboth flower fextremities. f She fis fless fthan fthe ffifth fpercentile ffor fheight.
f Examination freveals fbilateral ffemoral fbowing, fmild fmedial-lateral flaxity fof fthe fknees, fand fthe
fdeformities fshown fin fthe fradiograph fseen fin fFigure f3. f What fis fthe fmost flikely fdiagnosis?
1. Renal f osteodystrophy
2. Diastrophic f dysplasia
3. Metaphyseal f dysplasia
4. Osteogenesis fimperfecta
5. Fibrous f dysplasia
PREFERRED f RESPONSE: f f 1
DISCUSSION: fThe fwidening, fbowing, fand fcupping fof fthe fphyses findicate fsome fform fof
fmetabolic fbone fdisease; ftherefore, fthe fmost flikely fdiagnosis fis frenal fosteodystrophy. f The
fage fof fonset fmakes
X- linked fhypophosphatemic frickets fless flikely. f The fground fglass flesions fand fwidening fof fthe
fmedullary fcanal fcharacteristic f of ffibrous fdysplasia f are fnot fpresent. f There f are fno ffractures
fcreating fthe fdeformities findicating fosteogenesis fimperfecta. f There fis fan fasymmetry fof fthe
fdeformities fthat fmakes f diastrophic fdysplasia fless flikely.
REFERENCES: fGoldberg fMJ, fYassir fW, fSadeghi-Nejad fA: fClinical fanalysis fof fshort fstature. f J
fPediatr fOrthop f2002;22:690-696.
Parmar fVS, fStanitski fDF, fStanitski fCL: fInterpretation fof fradiographs fin fa fpediatric flimb
fdeformity fpractice: fDo fradiologists fcontribute? f J fPediatr fOrthop f 1999; f19:732-734.
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEONS
Your Source for Lifelong Orthopaedic Learning
Pediatric
Orthopedic
Answer Book
, 2025 Pediatric Orthopaedic Examination Answer Book · 7
Figure 1a Figure 1b
Question 1
A 5-year-old boy has had a limp for the past 4 weeks with intermittent pain at the foot. He remains
normally active and has no history of trauma. He has no fevers, rashes, or swelling. Examination reveals
tenderness at the mid-dorsum of the foot medially. Radiographs are seen in Figures 1a and l b. Treatment
should include which of the following?
1. MRl of the foot with gadolinium
2. Open biopsy of the lesion
3. Needle aspiration and culture, followed by antibiotic treatment
4. Observation or an orthotic arch support
5. Steroid injection of the lesion
PREFERRED RESPONSE: 4
DISCUSSION: Osteochondrosis of the tarsal navicular is most commonly identified between the ages of
2 and 9 years. The condition is benign and self limited in nature. In patients with severe pain, a period
of casting may be warranted, but otherwise management usually consists of observation or a supportive
orthotic.
REFERENCES: DiGiovanni CW, Patel A, Calfee R, et al: Osteonecrosis in the foot. JAm Acad Orthop
Surg 2007; 15 :208-217.
Williams GA, Cowell HR: Kohler's disease of the tarsal navicular. Clin Orthop Relat Res 198 1; 158:53-
58.
,8 American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
•
Figure 2
Question 2
A 3 -year-old girl has had pain and swelling in her left thigh for the past 3 weeks. Her mother states she
has had a temperature as high as 10 0.4 degrees F (38 degrees C) and a weight loss of 5 pounds. A CBC
shows a WBC count of 11 ,000/mm3 , an erythroc yte sedimentation rate of 13 mmlh, and a C-reactive
protein of 0.3. A radiograph is shown in Figure What is the next step in management?
1. Biopsy and culture of the lesion
2. MRI of the left femur
3. IV antibiotics for 6 weeks
4. Incision and drainage of the left femur
5. Repeat radiograph in 3 months
P REFERRED RE SPON SE: 2
DI SCU SSION: The history and laboratory studies indicate that this is not an infection. A lesion in this
location and in this age group is likely a Ewing's sarcoma. The presentation is usually a painful mass.
About 20% of patients have a fever. The radiograph shows a typical mottled, permeative lesion with
periosteal reaction. An MRIscan should be obtained to further evaluate the soft-tissue mass. Staging of
the lesion should take place before biopsy, which should be done by the surgeon who would be perfo rming
the next stage of surgical treatment, ideally an orthopaedic oncologist.
REFE RENCE S: Gibbs CP Jr, Weber K, Scarborough MT: Malignant bone tumors . Instr Course Lect
2002;5 1 :4 1 3-428.
Meyer IS, Nadel HR, Marina N, et al: Imaging guidelines for children with Ewing s arcoma and
osteosarcoma: A report from the Children's Oncology Group Bone Tumor Committee. Pediatr Blood
Cancer 2008;5 1 : 1 6 3 - 1 70 .
, 2025 Pediatric Orthopaedic Examination Answer Book · 9
Figure 3
Question 3
A f9-year-old fgirl fhas fhad fbilateral fknee fand fleg fpain ffor fthe fpast f2 fyears. f The ffamily fhas fnoted
fincreasing fdeformity fin fboth flower fextremities. f She fis fless fthan fthe ffifth fpercentile ffor fheight.
f Examination freveals fbilateral ffemoral fbowing, fmild fmedial-lateral flaxity fof fthe fknees, fand fthe
fdeformities fshown fin fthe fradiograph fseen fin fFigure f3. f What fis fthe fmost flikely fdiagnosis?
1. Renal f osteodystrophy
2. Diastrophic f dysplasia
3. Metaphyseal f dysplasia
4. Osteogenesis fimperfecta
5. Fibrous f dysplasia
PREFERRED f RESPONSE: f f 1
DISCUSSION: fThe fwidening, fbowing, fand fcupping fof fthe fphyses findicate fsome fform fof
fmetabolic fbone fdisease; ftherefore, fthe fmost flikely fdiagnosis fis frenal fosteodystrophy. f The
fage fof fonset fmakes
X- linked fhypophosphatemic frickets fless flikely. f The fground fglass flesions fand fwidening fof fthe
fmedullary fcanal fcharacteristic f of ffibrous fdysplasia f are fnot fpresent. f There f are fno ffractures
fcreating fthe fdeformities findicating fosteogenesis fimperfecta. f There fis fan fasymmetry fof fthe
fdeformities fthat fmakes f diastrophic fdysplasia fless flikely.
REFERENCES: fGoldberg fMJ, fYassir fW, fSadeghi-Nejad fA: fClinical fanalysis fof fshort fstature. f J
fPediatr fOrthop f2002;22:690-696.
Parmar fVS, fStanitski fDF, fStanitski fCL: fInterpretation fof fradiographs fin fa fpediatric flimb
fdeformity fpractice: fDo fradiologists fcontribute? f J fPediatr fOrthop f 1999; f19:732-734.
