We describe a 15-year-old boy with a posterior dislocation of the hip, fracture of the posterior column of the acetabulum and separation of the femoral capital epiphysis. To our knowledge no previous case in a child has been reported. Such high-energy injuries are extremely rare, and a poor outcome is expected.

We advocate early referral to a specialised tertiary centre, and the use of a modification of Delbet’s classification to reflect the complexity and displacement which may occur with this injury.