title: Operative treatment of volar intra-articular fractures of the distal end of the radius.
abstract: We retrospectively reviewed the results of operative treatment of forty-nine volar marginal intra-articular fractures of the distal end of the radius. According to the Comprehensive Classification of Fractures, there were two B3.1 fractures (characterized by a small volar fragment, with the sigmoid notch intact), three B3.2 fractures (characterized by a large volar fragment that included the sigmoid notch), and forty-four B3.3 fractures (characterized by comminution of the volar fragment). Although all fractures healed and only nine patients had evidence of osteoarthrosis on follow-up radiographs, there were six early and fourteen late complications, some of which adversely influenced the over-all outcome. After an average of fifty-one months (range, twenty-four to 117 months), there were thirty-one excellent, ten good, and eight fair results according to the system described by Gartland and Werley, and thirty-two excellent, nine good, five fair, and three poor results according to the modified system of Green and O'Brien. Two factors were found to have a significant association with a fair or poor outcome: evidence of osteoarthrosis on the most recent follow-up radiographs and reversal of the normal volar tilt of the distal end of the radius. The age of the patient, the interval from the injury to the operation, a concomitant injury of the ipsilateral upper extremity, an associated fracture of the ulnar styloid process, the radio-ulnar index, ulnar angulation, the classification of the fracture, comminution of the volar fragment, and articular incongruity were not significantly associated with the outcome.
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114, USA.
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Jupiter
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Fernandez
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Toh
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fellman
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ring
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000150:complications; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011859:Radiography; D011885:Radius Fractures / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014955:Wrist Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging