Salter-Harris fractures

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Prashanth Saddala M.B.B.S

Overview

Salter-Harris fractures are descriptive terms for fractures affecting the growth plate of a bone. Once bone growth has completed, the term “Salter-Harris Fracture” no longer applies.

Classification

There are six types of Salter-Harris fractures:^[1]

Type I – A transverse fracture through the growth plate (also referred to as the “physis”):^[2] 6% incidence

$Salter-Harris fracture-I Image courtesy of RadsWiki and copylefted$

Salter-Harris fracture-I Image courtesy of RadsWiki and copylefted
$Salter-Harris fracture-I Image courtesy of RadsWiki and copylefted$

Salter-Harris fracture-I Image courtesy of RadsWiki and copylefted

Type II – A fracture through the growth plate and the metaphysis, sparing the epiphysis:^[3] 75% incidence

$Salter-Harris fracture-II Image courtesy of RadsWiki and copylefted$

Salter-Harris fracture-II Image courtesy of RadsWiki and copylefted
$Salter-Harris fracture-II Image courtesy of RadsWiki and copylefted$

Salter-Harris fracture-II Image courtesy of RadsWiki and copylefted
$Salter-Harris fracture-II Image courtesy of RadsWiki and copylefted$

Salter-Harris fracture-II Image courtesy of RadsWiki and copylefted

Type III – A fracture through growth plate and epiphysis, sparing the metaphysis:^[4] 8% incidence

$Salter-Harris fracture-III Image courtesy of RadsWiki and copylefted$

Salter-Harris fracture-III Image courtesy of RadsWiki and copylefted
$Salter-Harris fracture-III Image courtesy of RadsWiki and copylefted$

Salter-Harris fracture-III Image courtesy of RadsWiki and copylefted
$Salter-Harris fracture-III Image courtesy of RadsWiki and copylefted$

Salter-Harris fracture-III Image courtesy of RadsWiki and copylefted
$Salter-Harris fracture-III Image courtesy of RadsWiki and copylefted$

Salter-Harris fracture-III Image courtesy of RadsWiki and copylefted
$Salter-Harris fracture-III Image courtesy of RadsWiki and copylefted$

Salter-Harris fracture-III Image courtesy of RadsWiki and copylefted
$Salter-Harris fracture-III Image courtesy of RadsWiki and copylefted$

Salter-Harris fracture-III Image courtesy of RadsWiki and copylefted
$Salter-Harris fracture-III Image courtesy of RadsWiki and copylefted$

Salter-Harris fracture-III Image courtesy of RadsWiki and copylefted

Type IV – A fracture through all three elements of the bone, the growth plate, metaphysis, and epiphysis:^[5] 10% incidence

$Salter-Harris fracture-IV Image courtesy of RadsWiki and copylefted$

Salter-Harris fracture-IV Image courtesy of RadsWiki and copylefted
$Salter-Harris fracture-IV Image courtesy of RadsWiki and copylefted$

Salter-Harris fracture-IV Image courtesy of RadsWiki and copylefted
$Salter-Harris fracture-IV Image courtesy of RadsWiki and copylefted$

Salter-Harris fracture-IV Image courtesy of RadsWiki and copylefted

Type V – A compression fracture of the growth plate (resulting in a decrease in the perceived space between the epiphysis and diaphysis on x-ray):^[6] 1% incidence

Type VI – Injury to the peripheral portion of the physis and a resultant bony bridge formation which my produce an angular deformity. (Added in 1969 by Mercer Rang.)

References

[1] Template:Chorus

[urlS.H._Type_I_-_Wheeless_Textbook_of_Orthopaedics-2] “S.H. Type I – Wheeless’ Textbook of Orthopaedics”.

[urlS.H._Type_II_-_Wheeless_Textbook_of_Orthopaedics-3] “S.H. Type II – Wheeless’ Textbook of Orthopaedics”.

[urlSalter_Harris_Type_III_Frx_-_Wheeless_Textbook_of_Orthopaedics-4] “Salter Harris Type III Frx – Wheeless’ Textbook of Orthopaedics”.

[urlSalter_Harris:_Type_IV_-_Wheeless_Textbook_of_Orthopaedics-5] “Salter Harris: Type IV – Wheeless’ Textbook of Orthopaedics”.

[urlType_V_-_Wheeless_Textbook_of_Orthopaedics-6] “Type V – Wheeless’ Textbook of Orthopaedics”.

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Salter-Harris fractures

Overview

Classification

References

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