Department of Emergency Medicine

UMEM Educational Pearls

Title: What' the Diagnosis? Case by Dr. Kathleen "Kat" Stephanos

Category: Visual Diagnosis

Posted: 7/13/2015 by Haney Mallemat, MD
Click here to contact Haney Mallemat, MD

Question

7 year-old male "jammed" 5th finger while playing basketball with pain and swelling over finger. What's the diagnosis?

Answer

Salter-Harris fracture (type II): 

Salter-Harris Fracture (remember 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
  • Rammed (i.e., Crush injury) / Type V (worst prognosis)

For more on Salter-Harris fractures, check out this and that

References

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