title: External fixation of intra-articular fracture of the distal radius in young and old adults.
abstract: Forty patients (18-89 years old, mean 58 years) with comminuted intra-articular fractures of the distal radial end (AO-type C 2 or C 3) treated with external fixation could be followed for an average of 2.3 years. After 3 weeks, the distraction was released, and after another 3 weeks, the device was removed. Complications seen were one malunion, one radial shaft fracture caused by excentric drilling of a Schanz screw, one Sudeck atrophy, and one subcutaneous pin-track infection. Radial and ulnar deviations were reduced to 52% and 71% of the untreated wrist, whereas the range of motion in the other planes reached about 80% or more of the healthy side. In all, 82.5% of the patients showed good or excellent radiological and functional results. This study demonstrates that external fixation of distal radial C 2 and 3 fractures for 6 weeks results in good recovery for young patients and elderly patients with osteoporosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Huch
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hünerbein
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Meeder
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016267:External Fixators; D005260:Female; D005592:Fracture Fixation / Q000379:methods*; D018460:Fractures, Comminuted / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011885:Radius Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome