A combined retrospective and survey study of an original population of 60 patients, summing up 64 comminuted fractures of the distal radius treated by external fixation in a ten-year period (January 86 to January 96) was carried out. Forty-six patients summing up 50 wrists were retrospectively studied and 32 patients with 35 wrists were reviewed. In the retrospective study the parameters radial angle, volar angle, relative length of the radius, scapholunate angle, lunocapitate angle and scaphoid ring sign were measured in the final X-ray controls of all patients. In the survey study, apart from the clinical and functional evaluation, the measurement of the scapholunate diastasis, as observed in a special X-ray view, was added to the radiological evaluation. The results showed that the method of external fixation restores the anatomy of the distal end of the radius, so as to produce good clinical and functional results in the majority of the cases, with a low complication rate.
Comminuted fracture; distal end of radius; external fixation
