Importance: Type II Salter-Harris fractures, a growth plate fracture, can lead to premature physeal closure if not appropriately treated. This condition may disrupt a child's growth by halting the longitudinal growth and causing angular leg deformities.

Objective:  This secondary research evaluates the effectiveness of surgical and nonsurgical intervention healing outcomes for a distal tibia type II Salter-Harris fracture in pediatric patients. 

Methods: A literature review was conducted using PubMed and Google Scholar, and studies were limited to the past 10 years (2015-2025). The inclusion criteria required the outcomes of each intervention and a pediatric patient 18 years old or younger with a type II distal tibia Salter-Harris fracture. Exclusion criteria included studies that did not display the rate of premature physeal closure.

Results: Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria. The analysis revealed that the mechanism of injury, including pronation-external rotation and supination-external rotation, is strongly associated with premature physeal closure. There was no significant difference between surgical and nonsurgical treatments when looking at the patient's functional mobility, while long-term complications were more evident in patients who were treated nonsurgically. 

Conclusion: In summary, the research suggests a lower rate of premature physeal closure after surgical treatment and supports surgery over nonsurgical interventions for treating distal tibia type II Salter-Harris fractures. The research will ensure optimal treatment is being utilized to promote proper healing. Future studies should focus on a large-scale, longitudinal study of the outcomes of surgical versus nonsurgical treatments.