Open treatment for displaced articular fractures of the distal radius.

Fifteen patients with severely displaced Type 4 articular fractures of the distal radius required open treatment for the reduction and fixation of disrupted articular surfaces and for the repair of associated nerve, tendon, or arterial injuries. These patients were predominantly young men whose wrists had been exposed to violent compression forces. Five cases were rated excellent, nine good, and one fair according to the McBride and Lidström systems of evaluation. In this study, distal radial fractures with wide displacement or rotation of the articular surfaces were treated by prompt and precise repair of skeletal and soft tissue damage.