Salter–Harris fracture

A Salter–Harris fracture is a fracture that involves the epiphyseal plate or growth plate of a bone. It is a common injury found in children, occurring in 15% of childhood long bone fractures.

Classification

Conveniently the Salter-Harris types can be remembered by the mnemonic SALTR.

• Type I
  
  • slipped
  
  
  • 5-7%
  
  
  • fracture plane passes all the way through the growth plate, not involving bone
  
  
  • cannot occur if the growth plate is fused
  
  
  • good prognosis
  
  

• Type II
  
  • above
  
  
  • ~ 75% (by far the most common)
  
  
  • fracture passes across most of the growth plate and up through themetaphysis
  
  
  • good prognosis
  
  

• Type III
  
  • lower
  
  
  • 7-10%
  
  
  • fracture plane passes some distance along the growth plate and down through the epiphysis
  
  
  • poorer prognosis as the proliferative and reserve zones are interrupted
  
  

• Type IV
  
  • through or transverse or together
  
  
  • intra-articular
  
  
  • 10%
  
  
  • fracture plane passes directly through the metaphysis, growth plate and down through the epiphysis
  
  
  • poor prognosis as the proliferative and reserve zones are interrupted
  
  

• Type V
  
  • ruined or rammed
  
  
  • uncommon < 1%
  
  
  • crushing type injury does not displace the growth plate but damages it by direct compression
  
  
  • worst prognosis
  
  

References:

References:

1. Weissleder R, Wittenberg J, Harisinghani MG. Primer of diagnostic imaging. Mosby Inc. (2003) ISBN:0323023282. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon

2. Wenger DR, Pring ME, Rang M. Rang"s Children"s Fractures, 3e. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. (2005) ISBN:0781752868. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon

 

 

Salter–Harris fracture