Salter Harris Type III

Epiphyseal Fractures.

A 19 year old male was referred for a 3D CT, with pain in right knee after a road traffic accident.  What type of epiphyseal injury is present?

The Salter-Harris classification proposed by Salter and Harris is the most widely used system for describing physeal fractures can be remembered by the mnemonic: SALTR

• Type 1
  
  • slipped
  • 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
  • Fracture line passes above
  • Most common
  • fracture passes across most of the growth plate and up through the metaphysis
  • good prognosis
• type III
  • Fracture line passes lower
  • fracture plane passes some distance along the growth and down through the epiphysis
  • poorer prognosis
• type IV
  • Fracture line passes through 
  • intra-articular
  • fracture plane passes directly through the metaphysics, growth plate and down through the epiphysis
  • poor prognosis 
• type V
  • rammed
  • crushing type injury does not displace the growth plate but damages it by direct compression
  • worst prognosis