Intramalleolar triplane fractures of the distal tibial epiphysis.

The intramalleolar triplane fracture of the distal tibial epiphysis is a relatively rare injury in children. We studied five children with intramalleolar triplane fractures. Four of the five children were competitive athletes. Each child underwent computerized tomography with three-dimensional reconstruction. Delineation of the intramalleolar fracture pattern with computerized tomography with three-dimensional reconstruction demonstrated three distinct types of intramalleolar triplane fractures: I. intraarticular and within the weight-bearing zone, II. intraarticular and outside the weight-bearing zone, and III. extraarticular. Computerized tomography with three-dimensional reconstruction delineated the fracture pattern and allowed selection of the optimal treatment method. A classification scheme of the three types of intramalleolar triplane fracture is proposed.