Analsis of the Distal Tibial Physeal and Epiphyseal Injury

Choi, In Ho; Lee, Choon Ki; Lee, Duk Yong; Suk, Se Il; Choi, Song; Kim, Yong Hoon; Tae, Suk Kee; Kim, Seong Il

Abstract

We have reviewed 21 cases of physeal and epiphyseal fracture of the distal tibia including one case of juvenile Tillaux fracture and four cases of triplane fracture. The patterns of fracture were correlated with the mechanism of injury using the modified Lauge-Hansen method and sysemic classification of the triplane frature was proposed. Treatment included closed reduction and cast(9 cases), closed reduction and percutaneous pin fixation(4 cases), and open reduction(8 cases). Two of the nine patients treated by means of closed reduction and cast had ankle joint incongruity or progressive varus deformity requiring corrective ost eotomy. These two patients had either Salter-Harris Type III ro Type IV fracture after supination-inversion injury. In one patient, who had 100 per cent displacement of the distal tibial epiphysis and degloving injury of the ankle, premature physeal arrest developed after open reduction and internal fixaion for Salter-Harris Type Tyre I fracture. If there are triagular metaphseal ledge along with the juvenile Tillaux fracture-like vertical epiphyseal fracture line on the antero-posterior view and Salter-Harris Type II or Type IV frature on the lateral view, a certain type of triplane fracture is strongly suggested. Plain radiographs, however, could not accurately demontrate the detailed configuration of the triplane fracture, instead computerized axial tomography was very helpful us to analyse the true dimensions of the triplane fracture. We agree that displace Salter-Harri Type III or Type IV and transitional fractures with a fracture gap of more than two millimeters in the weight-bearing portion of the epiphysis regure open reduction.