Suture Fixation of Subacute Pediatric Seymour Fractures

Seymour fractures are common injuries in the pediatric population. High rates of deep infection have been reported due to delayed presentation and subsequent treatment. This report describes the case of a 13-year-old male wrestler who presented 1 month after a finger injury that was later diagnosed as a subacute Seymour fracture with osteomyelitis. The patient underwent irrigation and debridement and fracture reduction stabilized with nonabsorbable suture fixation. After 6 weeks of intravenous antibiotics, the patient was recovering well, with radiographic evidence of fracture healing and clearance of infection. This case highlights the use of a single suture as a treatment option for fixation of unstable Seymour fractures with delayed presentation. The management of acute open distal phalangeal physeal fractures is well described in the literature; however, further investigations are warranted into the optimal management of chronically infected digits with unstable Seymour fractures.