398.A 7-year-old boy presents to the ED 1 hour after slipping and land-
ing on his right outstretched hand. He was evaluated and splinted by EMTs
and brought to the ED. On examination, you note a deformity of his right
wrist. There are no neurovascular deficits. A radiograph of the wrist is
shown below. Which of the following states is true regarding physeal frac-
tures in children?
418 Emergency Medicine
a. Salter-Harris type IV is defined as a crush injury of the growth plate.
b. The most common type of fracture is the Salter-Harris type II.
c. This patient’s radiographic findings are consistent with Salter-Harris type V.
d. Fractures through the physis, metaphysis, and epiphysis are classified as Salter-
Harris type III.
e. The worse prognosis is seen with Salter-Harris type I fractures.
(Reproduced, with permission, from Shah BR, Lucchesi M.Atlas of Pediatric Emergency
Medicine.New York, NY: McGraw-Hill; 2006: Figure 19-3.)