What is a distal radius fracture?

  [Overview] Distal radius fractures are fractures that occur distal to the proximal edge of the anterior rotator muscle. They include: 1. Colles fracture, 2. Smith fracture, 3. Barton fracture. It is common in middle-aged and elderly people, and is more common in women.  Treatment】 1. For non-displaced fractures, a functional plaster brace or a small splint can be used for 4 weeks.  2. For displaced fractures, closed reduction is required. The operator pulls the patient’s palm and thumb along the long axis of the forearm to ulnarly deviate the wrist and rotate the forearm forward. Then the wrist is palmarly flexed and pushed palmarly and ulnarly on the distal fracture segment of the radius at the same time. Keep the wrist in the rotated forward and mild palmar flexion ulnar deviation position, apply forearm plaster brace or small splint fixation for 4 weeks, and change to neutral position for 4 weeks in 10 to 14 days.  3.Resetting criteria (1)The radial styloid process is 1~2cm lower than the ulnar styloid process. (2)The distal radius must be flat and without bone protrusion on the dorsal side, and the palmar curvilinear depression should be restored.  (3) The hand is not radially deviated, the contour of the ulnar head is normal, and the affected fingers move well.  (4) X ray shows that the distal radius joint is tilted towards the palmar side.  4.Treatment of deformity healing If the deformity is light and does not affect the function of the wrist, surgery is not considered. If the deformity is not too heavy and only has rotation disorder, ulnar head resection can be performed. For severe deformity without forearm rotation, Campbell’s surgery, i.e. partial resection of the ulnar head and distal radius osteotomy, can be performed.  Pathogenesis】 Mostly caused by indirect external force, when falling, the elbow is straightened, the forearm is rotated forward, the wrist is dorsally extended, and the palm of the hand is on the ground. The stress acts on the distal radius and the fracture occurs. It is mostly transverse in shape. Crushing fractures are also common.  Clinical manifestations】 Wrist pain and swelling, especially palmar flexion activity is limited. If the fracture is severely displaced, a fork-like deformity may appear, i.e., the wrist is elevated dorsally and protrudes palmarly. The outline of the ulnar styloid process disappears. The wrist is widened and the hand is shifted to the radial side. The lower end of the ulna is prominent and the radial styloid process is superiorly displaced to or beyond the level of the ulnar styloid process. There is pressure pain in the distal radius, and the fracture end displaced to the radial dorsum can be palpated, and bone rubs can be palpated in comminuted fractures.  Complications】 1. Shoulder and elbow joint stiffness Due to the failure of active activity in fracture management.  2.Sudeck’s atrophy or reflexive sexual sensory bone atrophy. It is manifested by swelling, stiffness, red and thinning skin, and general bone atrophy of the wrist and fingers. Sometimes the onset is sudden. It is often caused by the failure of active exercise after fracture.  3. Rupture of the extensor hallucis longus tendon usually occurs 4 weeks or more after the injury, caused by the original injury, injury to the tendon blood flow, ischemic necrosis, or may be due to the fracture and Lister’s node, the tendon often rubs on the unsmooth bone groove and ruptures.  [Auxiliary examinations] Radiographs show typical displacement with the following points: 1. Dorsal displacement of the distal radius fracture fragment.  2.The fracture block of the distal radius is displaced to the radial side.  3.The radius is shortened and the fracture is embedded in the dorsal bone cortex or is a comminuted fracture.  4.The fracture is angulated to the palmar side.  5, The distal radius bone block is rotated back.  It also shows a subluxation or total subluxation of the ulnar head and displacement of the distal radius fracture to the radial side indicating a triangular cartilage edge tear. It is often combined with ulnar stem avulsion fracture. The palmar inclination angle and ulnar deviation angle are reduced or negative.