Metaphyseal Corner Fracture
Definition
A fracture through the metaphyseal collar of a long bone, producing a triangular or bucket-handle fragment. Caused by traction and torsion forces inconsistent with normal handling; highly specific for NAI in infants.
- Location
- Metaphyseal collar of a long bone
- Fragment shape
- Triangular or bucket-handle
- Mechanism
- Traction and torsion forces
- Forensic significance
- Highly specific for NAI in infants
Common questions
Why does this fracture type point specifically to non-accidental injury rather than a fall or accident?+
The traction and torsion forces needed to produce a corner fracture do not arise from normal infant handling or typical accidental falls, which is why it is regarded as one of the more specific radiographic markers of abusive injury in young children.
Why is timing of a metaphyseal corner fracture important in a child abuse case?+
Radiographic dating of the fracture's healing stage can help establish whether the injury occurred within a caregiver's period of custody, which is central to identifying who had opportunity to cause it and whether multiple injuries at different healing stages suggest repeated abuse.
Related terms
- Abusive Head Trauma (AHT)
- Intracranial injury resulting from violent shaking, with or without impact. Findings include subdural haematoma, subarachnoid haemorrhage, diffuse axonal injury, and retinal haemorrhages....
- Child Advocacy Centre (CAC)
- A child-focused facility that houses the medical, investigative, and support functions of a child abuse case in one location. The multidisciplinary team...
- Non-Accidental Injury (NAI)
- Physical harm inflicted deliberately or through gross neglect rather than by accident. The term is preferred over 'child abuse' in clinical documentation...
- Posterior Rib Fracture
- A fracture at the posterior rib near the costotransverse junction. Produced by forceful anteroposterior chest compression (as in squeezing), not by simple...
- Skeletal Survey
- A full radiographic series of the skeleton (AP skull, lateral skull, chest, spine, pelvis, and all long bones) performed in suspected NAI...