Twelve years follow-up of XXXX of the distal radius treated with the AO external fixator.

@entity1 @entity227 @entity625 @entity174 @entity7334
From 1977 to 1982 a total of 55 @entity1 suffering comminuted @entity174 of the distal radius were treated with the external fixator. Fifty of these were followed up in 1983/85 and 32 of them were available for assessment in this study (1992). The follow-up period was 11.6 years on average. All @entity1 had suffered an @entity7334 (91% a C- @entity174 , 9% a B- @entity174 according to the AO classification), 27 @entity1 had also fractured the ulnar styloid process and in 11 a dye-punch fragment was present. Both wrists were assessed on the basis of case history, clinical examination, radiographs in two planes and @entity227 ( @entity227 ). The results were evaluated using established scoring systems. On the Gartland and Werley scale 75% of the results were good or very good, 63% according to Castaing. In general, there was no statistically significant difference between the results of this study and those of 1983/85. It could be demonstrated that there was a relationship between @entity625 as a late complication and the existence of an intra-articular step-off of at least 2 mm at implant removal. This also has a negative influence on the range of motion and strength. Radial shortening affects the functional result whereas a die-punch fragment does not. On @entity227 @entity1 identified performance restriction and disability as the worst consequences of the accident; these criteria correlated best with the results of objective evaluations. In contrast, @entity1 were more satisfied with the result of treatment than would be expected from the objective analyses. The overall results indicate that exact reduction was extremely important. Long-term follow-up showed that the use of the external fixator in the treatment of @entity7334 of the distal radius was an adequate method. Prospective and possibly multicentric studies would be required to investigate more detailed relationships between treatment and long-term results.
