Delayed identification of skeletal injury in multisystem trauma: the 'missed' fracture.

Delay in diagnosis of musculoskeletal injury in multiply injured patients may potentially lead to functional or cosmetic disability in survivors. In an 18-month prospective study to determine the incidence and spectrum of delayed recognition of skeletal injury at our Level I trauma center, delayed diagnosis of 39 fractures was made in 26 of 1,006 consecutive blunt trauma patients. The delay in recognition ranged from 1-91 days. Twenty-one (55%) of the fractures were not X-rayed at the time of admission, but nine (23%) fractures were clearly visible on admission films. Four (10%) fractures were missed because of technically inadequate X-rays, and five (13%) had adequate X-rays but could not be identified on admission films. In only two instances was a second anesthetic exposure required for operative therapy. For the patients in this series, the delay of fracture identification was not felt to contribute to additional long-term cosmetic, functional, or neurologic problems. Continued clinical and radiologic surveillance is required in multiply injured patients to prevent musculoskeletal diagnostic failure.