Presentation
Ankle sprain during football (soccer) practice. Tender and swollen left ankle. Unable to bear weight.
Patient Data
Metaphyseal tibial fracture (Salter-Harris type 2) and an epiphyseal tibial fracture (Salter-Harris type 3). This combination of fracture patterns describes a triplane fracture of the ankle.
Case Discussion
Triplane fractures (or triplanar) refer to the combination of a coronal fracture plane through the tibial metaphysis (Salter-Harris type 2) and a sagittal fracture plane through the tibial epiphysis (Salter-Harris type 3). The physis is also injured in the axial plane.
This fracture pattern is mostly seen in adolescents.