Treatment of Ulnar Fractures Combined with Distal Radius Fracture / 대한정형외과학회잡지

Approximately 5-6% of distal radius fractures have a concomitant distal ulnar fracture, this incidence is more frequent in osteoporotic elderly patients. When the distal ulnar fracture is stable after fixation of the distal radius fracture, the distal ulnar fracture can be managed with cast immobilization. However, when the distal ulnar fracture shows malalignment or instability, an operative method should be used. The operative method for distal ulnar fracture includes internal fixation using a K-wire, intramedullary nail, or plates and salvage procedures including ulnar head resection or Sauve-Kapandji procedure. Approximately 50% of distal radius fractures are combined with ulnar styloid process fracture. Although approximately 50-70% of ulnar styloid process fractures result in nonunion if they are not treated by an operative method, they tend to be asymptomatic. Recent studies of distal radius fracture treated using a volar locking plate have generally reported that neither the presence nor the size of concomitant ulnar styloid fracture has an effect on clinical outcome.

The 'beta-wire Technique' for the Fixation of Ulnar Styloid Process Fracture: Surgical Technique

For the fixation of ulnar styloid process fracture, we want to introduce the 'beta-wire technique', which is easy to learn and practice and thought to give a compressive force to the fracture site.

Operative Treatment for Ulnar Styloid Process Fractures with Unstable Intraarticular Distal Radius Fractures

PURPOSE: To evaluate the radiological and clinical outcomes of the operative treatment for the unstable distal radius fractures with displaced ulnar styloid process fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 2002 to 2005, 17 patients with unstable distal radius fractures with displaced ulnar styloid process fractures were treated operatively, using external fixation or internal fixation for distal radius and open reduction with tension band wiring for ulnar styloid process fractures. We evaluated postoperative outcomes with Mayo wrist score, range of motion, ulnar side wrist pain, wrist stress test, grip strength as well as radiological evaluation. RESULTS: All ulnar styloid process fractures were completely united, and according to Mayo wrist score, 7 cases(41%) were excellent, 8 cases(47%) were good. 14 cases(82%) had no ulnar wrist pain and 15 cases(88%) had grip strength more than 50% when compared with the normal side. Posterior instability of ulnar head occurred at 1 case. CONCLUSION: We got acceptable clinical and radiological results of operative treatment of ulnar styloid process fractures and concluded that ulnar styloid process fractures combined with distal radius fractures should be carefully evaluated and treated operatively according to their fracture types.