title: Percutaneous Kirschner-wire fixation of Colles fractures. A prospective study of thirty cases.
abstract: Thirty consecutive patients with a displaced Colles fracture were treated with closed reduction and percutaneous fixation with two Kirschner wires. There were no serious complications. Two of the thirty patients had a minor loss of reduction that did not compromise function. One of the twenty-eight patients who were available for one-year follow-up had a moderate loss of flexion and extension. No patient had a significant loss of rotation of the forearm. The study showed that additional fixation improves both the anatomical and the functional results after a Colles fracture. I recommend the use of percutaneous Kirschner-wire fixation if the articular surface of the radius is not comminuted into more than two fragments.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003100:Colles' Fracture / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009984:Orthopedic Fixation Devices; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography; D011885:Radius Fractures / Q000601:surgery*