Journal of pediatric orthopedics
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Stubbing injuries to the great toe can be a cause of occult open fractures and osteomyelitis. Five such patients were identified after conducting a retrospective review of injuries to the hallux between January 1998 and December 1998. The study was conducted to draw attention to the association between this trivial trauma and its possible complications. ⋯ Two of these children experienced a partial growth arrest and two experienced a full growth arrest of the distal phalanx of the great toe, the significance of which is yet unknown. Clinical signs such as bleeding from the eponychium and a laceration proximal to the nail bed should alert physicians to the presence of a possible open fracture. Early detection and treatment of these injuries may reduce or eliminate hospital stays and prolonged intravenous antibiotic treatment for osteomyelitis.