Presentation
Fall from a bike onto the outstretched hand. Discrete wrist deformity upon inspection.
Patient Data
Forearm radiographs revealed a bulging of the cortex of the distal radial metaphysis, a torus fracture of the radius.
There is also a physeal fracture that goes through the growth plate and the distal radius metaphysis (Salter-Harris type II).
There is a greenstick fracture of the ulna metaphysis as well.
Case Discussion
Torus fractures, also known as buckle fractures, and greenstick fractures are incomplete fractures of the shaft of long bones, usually occurring on immature skeletons.
In torus fractures, there is a bulging of the cortex. In greenstick fractures, there is bowing with cortical disruption of only one side of the bone.
Physeal fractures are fractures with the involvement of the growth plates. They are commonly classified using the Salter-Harris classification.
In the present case, the fracture line passes through the growth plate and the metaphysis, characterizing a Salter-Harris type II.