In simple words: Physeal arrest means the growth plate in the femur (thigh bone) has stopped growing too early. This can happen after an injury, infection, or other medical conditions.It can make the leg shorter than it should be and cause walking problems.

Physeal arrest of the femur refers to the disturbance or complete cessation of normal bone growth at the physeal growth plate due to premature closure.This can be caused by a variety of factors, including trauma (such as fractures), infection, ischemia, tumor invasion, hormonal imbalances (low growth hormone levels), hereditary bone growth disorders, or radiation therapy. Physeal arrest can lead to shortened bone length, deformity, and reduced muscle tone, potentially resulting in short stature and gait abnormalities.

Example 1: A 10-year-old child sustains a fracture to the distal femur involving the growth plate.Follow-up radiographs reveal signs of premature closure of the growth plate, indicating physeal arrest., A 15-year-old adolescent presents with a leg length discrepancy.Imaging studies reveal premature closure of the femoral growth plate due to a previous infection., A child with a known hereditary bone growth disorder is monitored regularly for physeal arrest. Radiographs reveal a partial physeal arrest, also known as a bone bridge, across the growth plate.

Documentation should include details of the underlying cause (e.g., trauma, infection), imaging findings (X-ray, MRI, CT scan, bone scan), physical examination findings (leg length discrepancy, range of motion, muscle strength), and laboratory results (calcium, growth hormone levels).The extent of the physeal arrest (complete or partial) and its impact on bone growth should also be documented.