A type III fracture (see the images below) is a fracture through the physis and epiphysis. This fracture passes through the hypertrophic layer of the physis and extends to split the epiphysis, inevitably damaging the reproductive layer of the physis.
Who was Salter-Harris?
It is a common injury found in children, occurring in 15% of childhood long bone fractures. This type of fracture and its classification system is named for Robert B. Salter and William H. Harris who created and published this classification system in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery in 1963.
What is a Salter-Harris III fracture?
Salter-Harris type III fractures are an uncommon, intraarticular fracture physeal fractures that occur in children. The fracture line is often obliquely oriented through the epiphysis to the physis where it will take a horizontal orientation extending to the edge of the physis.
How do you memorize Salter-Harris?
Salter-Harris Fracture (remember the mnemonic SALTR)
- Slipped (i.e., through growth plate and not involving bone) / Type I.
- Above growth plate (i.e., through metaphysis) / Type II (most common)
- Lower growth plate (i.e., through epiphysis) / Type III.
- Through (i.e., through metaphysis growth plate and epiphysis) / Type IV.
What is the Salter-Harris classification?
The Salter-Harris classification system is a method used to grade fractures that occur in children and involve the growth plate, which is also known as the physis or physial plate. The classification system grades fractures according to the involvement of the physis, metaphysis, and epiphysis.
What is distal physis?
– distal femoral physis is largest & fastest growing physis in the body. – it contributes to approx: – 70 % length of femur. – 37 % of length of entire limb. – 0.375 inch (1.0 cm) of growth / yr.
What is a Level 1 fracture?
Type 1. Type 1 Salter-Harris fractures tend to occur in younger children. These injuries go directly across the growth plate, and the surrounding bone is not involved. Often, x-rays of a child with a type 1 growth plate fracture will appear normal. Healing of type 1 fractures tend to be rapid and complications are rare …
