title: Bone age in children with obstetrical brachial plexus palsy: effect of peripheral nerve injury on skeletal maturation.
abstract: The purpose of this retrospective study was to analyze the effect of peripheral nerve injury on the skeletal maturation process. The bone ages of the affected and unaffected hand-wrists of 42 children with obstetrical brachial palsy were determined according to the Greulich and Pyle atlas. In 23 patients, the bone ages of the both sides were identical (bone-age-symmetrical group), in 19 patients the bone age of the affected side was delayed (bone-age-delayed group). The mean bone age of the affected side was delayed 0.48 ± 0.25 years that of the unaffected side (P = .000), and the delay of bone age was inversely correlated with chronological age (R (2) = .45, P < .02) in the bone-age-delayed group. Skeletal retardation can be recognized after appearance of ossification centers by plain radiography, dating from the third month of life, in early infancy. Thus, bone age determination method might be helpful for predicting potential future limb shortness.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Physical Medical and Rehabilitation, Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Education and Research Hospital, Talatpaşa Bulvarı Samanpazarı, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Fügen
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Oktay
authors.forename: Didem
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cömert
authors.forename: Nilüfer Kutay Ordu
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Gökkaya
authors.forename: Sibel Demir
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Ozbudak
authors.forename: Hilmi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Uysal
mesh_terms: D000365:Age Determination by Skeleton; D000367:Age Factors; D001720:Birth Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D001846:Bone Development; D020516:Brachial Plexus Neuropathies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006225:Hand / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000254:growth & development; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014953:Wrist / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000254:growth & development
keywords: bone age; neuroplasticity; obstetrical brachial plexus injury; peripheral nerve injury; skeletal maturation