Introduction:

Traumatic injuries of the epiphysis are frequent in the pediatric age groups. The knee joint is one of the most involved, especially, distal femoral epiphysis.

Objective:

Update and provide information concerning fractures of the distal femoral epiphysis.

Method:

Search and analysis of information was gathered over a period of 61 days (April 1 to May 31, 2022) and the following words were used as a key: physeal injuries, physeal injuries and knee, physeal fractures aroundtheknee, distal femoral physeal fracture. Based on the information obtained, a bibliographic review was made of a total of 153 articles published in the PubMed, Hinari, SciELO and Medline databases, using the search engine and reference manager EndNote: 34 selected citations were used for the review, 33 of them from the last five years.

Development:

The most important anatomical characteristics related to the mechanism of production were mentioned. The Salter Harris classification was pointed too. The main treatment modalities, both conservative and surgical, based on the classification, were presented. Regarding complications, the most reported in the literature were described.

Conclusions:

Fractures of the distal femoral epiphysis are complex injuries. For a better understanding, it is important to know the mechanisms of production, as well as the classification based on the degree of severity. Both conservative and surgical therapeutics have precise indications based on the degree and displacement of epiphysis affection.

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