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Salter Harris Fracture Treatment | Salter Harris Surgery

There are many types of bone fractures in as much as there more than 200 bones in the human body. These bones should be continually supplied with calcium or they will break like any twig on the tree when hit by a strong wind, just like a greenstick fracture. The bones serve as support for motion, protector of the important internal organs, and storage of several minerals in the body. When a single bone breaks, anyone can just imagine how inconvenient it would be on the patient. This is why any patient should know how to heal fracture quickly.

The usual causes of bone fracture would be a strong force that hits the bones. When a fracture injury happens, x-ray and other diagnostic tests should be done. However, if proper classification is done, the doctor would already have an idea as to how the injury should be treated even before the completion of the fracture diagnosis. The identification of the fracture would be confirmed by proper diagnostic tests though. For instance, a Schatzker fracture on the tibia might happen when the knee is hit by a strong force. A Schatzker classification is done to help identify the damage of the injury. This also goes the same for Weber ankle fractures. However, some classifications have combined Weber fracture classification with another system in order to get a much clearer picture of the ankle injury.

Another type of fracture would be the Salter Harris fracture. This refers to the fracture on the growth plate. Salter Harris fracture in children is not at all rare because only kids have growth plates. As a person grows older, the growth plate would be transformed into a large bone. A child who has been in an accident might have a Salter Harris ankle fracture. The bad thing is that the diagnostic tests might not show any Salter Harris fractures because the growth plate would just be a blank space on the x-rays. This is why CT scan might be required for additional diagnostic test for Salter Harris fracture.

Salter Harris refers to the type of classification system for growth plate fractures. Salter Harris fracture classification is based on how the physis, epiphysis and metaphysis are affected by the injury. The doctor would to look carefully at the fractured growth plate before identifying the Salter Harris fracture types. The proper categorization of the Salter Harris injury is important because this would help the doctor determine the most effective Salter Harris fracture treatment. This is also essential to reduce the fracture healing time of whatever Harris Salter fracture the patient has. Many patients would be excited to know about the length of their recovery time so that they can count down to the last day when they would be allowed to go back slowly to their normal activities. Another benefit of effective Salter Fracture classification is that any possible fracture complications would already be identified. Educating yourself about Salter Harris bone fracture would help you take care of yourself while you are injured.

If one can remember Salter Harris fracture mnemonic of SALTR, this is still not enough to help one recognize the proper types of Salter Harris fracture thumb, or wherever the fracture of growth plate happens. Here are some of the basic pieces of information about Salter Harris fractures classification:

Salter Harris Fracture Treatment | Salter Harris Surgery


Salter Harris Type 1

A Salter Harris 1 fracture is basically a transverse fracture that happens to the hypertrophic zone of the physis. Remember that these Salter fracture types are based on the location of the fracture on the physis. In Salter 1 fracture, the physis’ size would be modified as it will increase. The developing area of the physis will continue to grow because it is not really injured. However, this kind of growth does not usually happen.

During the diagnostic tests, the epiphyseal plate of the injured child would have tenderness. This is one of the strongest fracture symptoms that would tell that the child has a Salter-Harris I fracture.

The treatment for Salter one fracture will naturally happen without much of a problem. Thus, the parents really do not need to worry much about Salter fracture 1. The broken bones would remain in place. Thus, fracture surgery is not really necessary. The child would need to wear a fracture cast though to immobilize the broken bone. If it is a spiral fracture tibia, a cast or brace would be necessary. The spiral fracture treatment would usually last for four to six weeks in a cast.


Salter-Harris Type II

The Salter-Harris II is the most common among the types of growth plate fracture. If the Salter fracture is found through the physis and metaphysics, this is already classified as Salter Harris 2 fracture. This means that the epiphysis of the growth plate remains unharmed. It is typical for the Salter Harris type 2 fracture to result to minimal shortening. However, a patient with this type of Salter fractures might still be able to move without extreme limitations despite the fracture. A Salter type 2 fracture might not be as hassle as the other types of Salter Harris injury.

Just like type I, Salter II fracture can also proceed with healing without a problem. A Salter 2 fracture would not cause growth problems, but the broken bones have to be aligned well to let them heal properly. In some cases of Salter Harris 2 fracture, a surgery might be recommended by the doctor. Braces might be worn by some patients of Salter Harris II injury to render the affected area immobile. Immobilization is significant to the quick healing of the fractured growth plate bone. Anyone who does not like the inconvenience of broken growth plate bones would love to heal fast.


Salter Harris Type III

This Salter Harris 3 fracture affects the physis and metaphysis. The injury in a Salter Harris type 3 fracture would pass through the physis and the tearing of the tissue to the epiphysis. It is during Salter Harris type 3 injury that the reproductive layer of the physis would be affected.

A person who has had Salter Harris III fracture is at risk of experiencing chronic disability. With the injury brought about by Salter III fracture, the damage in the physis would reach the articular surface of the broken bone. This type of fracture though does not cause deformity, making its prognosis positive. The Salter Harris fracture treatment of this type III fracture is most likely surgical intervention. This is how to treat growth plate fracture quick in order to cut the long recovery time for the patient. A shorter fracture healing time will always be received as good news by the patient. Unlike in Salter Harris fracture type 2, an internal fixation is a requirement to properly align the broken bones. However, a Salter type 2 fracture would also need proper bone alignment though this did not mean that it should be done in a surgical process.


Salter Harris Type IV

This affects the physis, metaphysis, and epiphysis of the bone. The Salter Harris 4 fracture can also lead to chronic disability. A person with Salter 4 fracture would also have a damaged articular surface of the fractured bone. Moreover, the Salter Harris IV fracture can disturb the development of the cartilage cells, causing a premature focal fusion on the injured bone. This can lead to deformed kinds of fractures.

This type IV fracture mostly happens to older children. This epiphyseal plate injury should be treated with surgery and internal fixation for the proper alignment of the affected growth plate.


Salter Harris Type V

A Salter Harris V fracture is a compression fracture of the epiphysis without affecting the other two elements of the bone. For the proper diagnosis of this fracture, if this happens to be Salter Harris fracture finger, the doctor would ask the patient more about history of injury. This way proper treatment and Salter Harris fracture emedicine would be given. In most cases, medicines, or emedicine if you will buy them online, would be necessary to alleviate the pain. To treat type Salter Harris type V fracture, internal fixation and surgery are necessary.

The affected bones have to undergo proper rehabilitation. The rehab should only be done by an expert physical therapist. This will ensure that the Salter Harris fractures are rehabilitated right. This can also hasten the Salter Harris fracture recovery time.

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