Which description corresponds to a fracture that is 50% displaced in the distal metaphysis?

Which description corresponds to a fracture that is 50% displaced in the distal metaphysis?

• A. No displacement
• B. Complete dorsal displacement
• C. Fifty percent dorsal displacement
• D. Displacement with shortening

Answer: (C)

In fractures, especially in pediatric distal metaphyseal injuries, we describe displacement as how far the distal fragment has moved relative to the proximal fragment, expressed as a percentage of the bone’s width at the fracture site, and we name the direction of that movement. If the distal fragment shifts toward the dorsal (posterior) side by half the bone’s width, that is described as fifty percent dorsal displacement. That matches the stated scenario of a 50% displacement in the distal metaphysis. No displacement would be 0% offset. A complete dorsal displacement would be 100% offset. Displacement with shortening implies the fragments overlap enough to shorten the overall bone length, which isn’t implied by a 50% offset.

In fractures, especially in pediatric distal metaphyseal injuries, we describe displacement as how far the distal fragment has moved relative to the proximal fragment, expressed as a percentage of the bone’s width at the fracture site, and we name the direction of that movement. If the distal fragment shifts toward the dorsal (posterior) side by half the bone’s width, that is described as fifty percent dorsal displacement. That matches the stated scenario of a 50% displacement in the distal metaphysis.

No displacement would be 0% offset. A complete dorsal displacement would be 100% offset. Displacement with shortening implies the fragments overlap enough to shorten the overall bone length, which isn’t implied by a 50% offset.