Tibial torus and toddler's fractures misdiagnosed as transient synovitis: a case series

INTRODUCTION: The high incidence of transient synovitis in early childhood makes it the first suspected pathology in a limping child. Trauma, which has long been regarded as a causative factor for transient synovitis, may be underestimated in a non-cooperative toddler. After excluding most serious conditions, such as septic arthritis, a speculative diagnosis of transient synovitis can be made, and this can easily mask a subtle musculoskeletal injury. CASE PRESENTATIONS: We report the cases of three Caucasian patients (two boys, aged 20-months- and three-years-old, and one girl, aged two-years-old), with tibial torus and toddler's fractures which were late-diagnosed due to an initial misdiagnosis of transient synovitis of the hip. CONCLUSION: In a non-cooperative child musculoskeletal trauma can be mistaken as a simple causative factor for transient synovitis of the hip and this can easily prevent further investigation for a possible subtle musculoskeletal injury of the lower extremities. Our experience with the presented cases suggests the need to be more vigilant in the differential diagnosis of transient synovitis in young children.