Distal radius fracture: the rationale of a classification.

A thorough review of both historical and contemporary classifications of distal radial fractures is presented. Critical analysis of older and newer classifications clearly shows the difficulty of including all the necessary parameters associated to a distal radius fracture in order to comprehensively assess the complexity of the lesion. The author has attempted to simplify the classification of distal radial fractures into five main groups according to the mechanism of injury. It includes the children fracture equivalent, the associated distal radioulnar joint lesions, and provides management recommendations. An alpha-numerical code is also provided for computer documentation.