title: [Analysis of therapeutic effects of external fixator for the treatment of comminuted fracture of distal radius].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the clinical effects of external fixator in treating comminuted fracture of distal radius.
  
  
  METHODS
  From Mar.2008 to Dec.2009, 37 patients with comminuted fracture of distal radius were treated with external fixator or assisted with Kirschner wire and T-shape locking compression plate (T-LCP) fixation. There were 14 males and 23 females, ranging in age from 30 to 79 years, with an average of 59.1 years. According to AO typing, type C1 was in 3 cases, type C2 was in 11 cases and type C3 was in 23 cases. Function of wrist joint and X-ray films were observed according to Gratland-Werley system at different months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients were followed up from 8 to 24 months with an average of 12 months. All fractures had healing with an average time of 8 weeks. According to Gratland-Werley system, 16 cases obtained excellent result, 17 good, 4 fair, the rate of excellent and good was 89.0%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  External fixator can obtained satisfactory clinical effect in treating comminuted fracture of distal radius.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, the People's Hospital of Danyang, Danyang 212300, Jiangsu, China. aqua419@21cn.com
authors.forename: Hua-jun
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Shu-jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Li-jian
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Yao-wei
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016267:External Fixators; D005260:Female; D017102:Fracture Healing; D018460:Fractures, Comminuted / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011885:Radius Fractures / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D014955:Wrist Joint / Q000503:physiopathology