Citation

Fernando UPM, Pranavan S, Hameed S, Munasinghe BM. Int. J. Surg. Case Rep. 2023; 108: e108393.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.ijscr.2023.108393

PMID

37311325

Abstract

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Physical abuse of children is criminal conduct in the purview of medico-legal sciences and the confirmative diagnosis of 'child abuse' is imperative for further legal proceedings. Clinicians play a pivotal role in the protection of children by recognizing and reporting such cases and treating the victims of abuse. PRESENTATION OF CASE: To the best of our knowledge, we present the first case report in literature where osteofibrous dysplasia resulted in a pathological fracture in a 10-month-old South-Asian child which resembled the picture of child abuse. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: The challenges faced by clinicians in the process of analysis of presumed child abuse are numerous and careful formulation and elimination of medical conditions which may mimic non-accidental injury (NAI) is a must, prior to making an incontrovertible diagnosis.

CONCLUSION: The telltale signs of NAI such as soft tissue injuries and fractures in a victimized child should always be evaluated cautiously with the intent of excluding pathologies that may mimic them and the evidence in this regard is seldom in literature.

Language: en

Keywords

Child abuse; Forensic pathology; Non-accidental injury (NAI); Osteofibrous dysplasia (OFD); Pathological fracture