The traumatized ischiopubic synchondrosis: a rare cause of acute hip pain

Epiphyseal growth plates developing during skeletal maturation are the most common temporary synchondroses in childhood. The fibrocartilaginous bridge between the superomedial pubic and the inferolateral ischial ossification center is defined as the ischiopubic synchondrosis (IPS). It is considered to be a physiologic developmental stage that can be recognized on conventional radiographs as a fusiform radiolucent area at the ischiopubic zone [1, 2]. The ossification of IPS begins early in childhood and is usually completed before puberty. While usually asymptomatic, the ossification process can be accompanied by pain in the groin and restriction in the movement of the hip joint [3, 4]. Although stress fractures have been described to mimic the symptomatic IPS ossification, a traumatic fracture of the IPS as a cause of hip pain has not yet specifically been reported.