Bong Cheol Kwon1, Bo Kyung Seo, Hyoung-June Im, Goo Hyun Baek. 1. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Pyeongchon-dong, Dongan-gu, Anyang-si, Gyeonggi-do 431-070, South Korea. bckwon11@gmail.com
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) instability is an important cause of ulnar-sided wrist pain in distal radius fractures. However, instability is frequently undiagnosed and the clinical and radiographic factors associated with instability are not well understood. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: We therefore identified clinical and radiographic factors associated with DRUJ instability in distal radius fractures. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed all 221 patients who underwent surgical treatment for unstable distal radius fractures from 2007 to 2010. Ten patients (five men and five women) had DRUJ instability by intraoperative manual testing (Group I); these patients had a median age of 52 years. The other 211 patients (81 men and 130 women) (Group II) had a median age of 55 years. Clinical and radiographic data were compared between the groups. RESULTS: The incidence of open wounds at the wrist and the relative ulnar length measured on the prereduction radiograph were greater in Group I. An open wound at the wrist and positive ulnar variance of 6 mm or greater on the prereduction radiograph increased the risk of DRUJ instability (relative risks = 45 and 17, respectively) in distal radius fractures. CONCLUSIONS: An open wound at the wrist or positive ulnar variance of 6 mm or greater observed on the prereduction radiograph in patients with distal radius fractures should alert the physician to the possibility of DRUJ instability. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II, prognostic study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
BACKGROUND: Distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) instability is an important cause of ulnar-sided wrist pain in distal radius fractures. However, instability is frequently undiagnosed and the clinical and radiographic factors associated with instability are not well understood. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: We therefore identified clinical and radiographic factors associated with DRUJ instability in distal radius fractures. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed all 221 patients who underwent surgical treatment for unstable distal radius fractures from 2007 to 2010. Ten patients (five men and five women) had DRUJ instability by intraoperative manual testing (Group I); these patients had a median age of 52 years. The other 211 patients (81 men and 130 women) (Group II) had a median age of 55 years. Clinical and radiographic data were compared between the groups. RESULTS: The incidence of open wounds at the wrist and the relative ulnar length measured on the prereduction radiograph were greater in Group I. An open wound at the wrist and positive ulnar variance of 6 mm or greater on the prereduction radiograph increased the risk of DRUJ instability (relative risks = 45 and 17, respectively) in distal radius fractures. CONCLUSIONS: An open wound at the wrist or positive ulnar variance of 6 mm or greater observed on the prereduction radiograph in patients with distal radius fractures should alert the physician to the possibility of DRUJ instability. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II, prognostic study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Authors: Alysson Figueiredo Nogueira; Lucas Moratelli; Marcela Dos Santos Martins; Ricardo Torres Iupi; Marcos Felipe Marcatto de Abreu; João Carlos Nakamoto Journal: Acta Ortop Bras Date: 2019 Jul-Aug Impact factor: 0.513