Distal radial fracture (summary)
Updates to Article Attributes
This is a basic article for medical students and other non-radiologists
Distal radial fractures are a relatively common group of injuries that usually occur following a fall. The commonest of these fractures is a transverse extra-articular fracture and where there is associated dorsal angulation, this is termed a Colles fracture.
Reference article
This is a summary article. For more information, you can read a more in-depth reference articles: distal radial fracture, Colles fracture.
Summary
-
anatomy
- normal radius
-
epidemiology
- bimodal age and sex distribution
- younger males in high energy mechanisms
- older females after simple falls
-
presentation
- fall onto an outstretched hand with pain and deformity
-
pathophysiology
- after FOOSH force transmitted through the wrist
- a direct blow to the wrist may also result in a fracture
-
investigation
- wrist series (AP and lateral)
-
treatment
- often treatment is conservative with immobilisation in a cast
- if there is deformity and fracture angulation reduction is required
- in some cases, internal fixation is needed
Radiographic features
Plain radiograph
The commonest fracture of the distal radius is a transverse extra-articular fracture which is usually seen as a transverse lucency across the distal radius in the region of the metaphysis.
If there is impaction, the fracture may be seen as a sclerotic line.
Transverse fractures may be angulated - dorsal angulation is commonest (a Colles fracture). There may be fracture extension into the joint which is important to pick up.
-<p><strong>Distal radial fractures</strong> are a relatively common group of injuries that usually occur following a fall. The commonest of these fractures is a transverse extra-articular fracture and where there is associated dorsal angulation, this is termed a Colles fracture.</p><h4>Reference article</h4><p>This is a <a href="/articles/summary-article">summary article</a>. For more information, you can read a more in-depth reference articles: <a href="/articles/distal-radial-fracture">distal radial fracture</a>, <a href="/articles/colles-fracture">Colles fracture</a>.</p><h4>Summary</h4><ul>- +<h6>This is a basic article for medical students and other non-radiologists</h6><p><strong>Distal radial fractures</strong> are a relatively common group of injuries that usually occur following a fall. The commonest of these fractures is a transverse extra-articular fracture and where there is associated dorsal angulation, this is termed a Colles fracture.</p><h4>Reference article</h4><p>This is a <a href="/articles/summary-article">summary article</a>. For more information, you can read a more in-depth reference articles: <a href="/articles/distal-radial-fracture">distal radial fracture</a>, <a href="/articles/colles-fracture">Colles fracture</a>.</p><h4>Summary</h4><ul>
-<li>after <a title="Fall on an outstretched hand" href="/articles/fall-onto-an-outstretched-hand">FOOSH </a>force transmitted through the wrist</li>- +<li>after <a href="/articles/fall-onto-an-outstretched-hand">FOOSH </a>force transmitted through the wrist</li>