Intraarticular fractures of the distal end of the radius in young adults. A 16 (2-26) year follow-up of 42 patients.

Forty-two patients, aged 29 (17-42) years when they sustained an intraarticular fracture of the distal end of the radius, were reexamined after 16 (2-26) years. More than two thirds of the fractures were caused by high-energy trauma. Subjectively, 34 patients had excellent or good results, while only 8 had fair or poor results; 6 patients had changed their occupation owing to disability from the wrist. Almost half of the patients had residual deformity at the follow-up clinical examination. Slightly more than half of the patients had radiographic arthrosis. Subjective evaluation correlated with residual deformity and arthrosis, but not with radiographic displacement or intraarticular step off. Arthrosis correlated with residual deformity and intraarticular step off, but not with radiographic displacement. Clinical residual deformity included soft-tissue changes in contrast to radiographic displacement. More interest should be directed to soft-tissue changes following this type of fracture.