[Adolescent fractures].

Fracture in adolescence is a very particular injury of the epiphyseal cartilage or growth plate. Lysis and fracture are likely to occur in parallel in a certain period of life. Final ossification of the growth plate does not occur in concomitance with termination of adolescent skeletal growth, but it goes on for some more months, for example on the distal epiphyseal plate of the tibia and the median anterior part of the epiphyseal plate. This region, consequently, is likely to remain vulnerable to injury. The zonal structure, epiphyseal plate, and blood supply are discussed in some detail. By example of three cases, reference is also made to high-accuracy diagnosis by means of X-ray and axial computer tomography.