Surgical Treatment of Fractures of the Distal Radius in Patients Older Than 65 Years

Suh, Jeung Tak; Kim, Dae Woong; Yoo, Chong Il

Abstract

PURPOSE: To analyze the results of surgical treatment of the displaced distal radius fractures in elderly patients over 65 years old who were treated with percutaneous K-wire fixation only and percutaneous K-wire fixation with external fixation. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We evaluated 24 cases of the distal radius fracture in patients older than 65 years from January 1998 to December 2001. The patients were followed up at least 12 months postoperatively. We compared the surgical results of 14 cases, treated with percutaneous K-wire fixation only with the surgical results of 10 cases, treated with percutaneous K-wire fixation with external fixation. We evaluated the functional results according to demerit point system and the radiographic results (radial length, radial inclination, volar tilt).
RESULTS
According to demerit point system, the mean score of demerit point was 9.9 in the group of percutaneous K-wire fixation and 5.3 in the group of percutaneous K-wire with external fixation respectively (p<0.05). In radiographic results, the percent of the mean loss of radial length, radial inclination and volar tilt were 23.2%, 12% and 41.7% in the group of percutaneous K-wire fixation and 11%, 5.9% and 27.4% in the group of percutaneous K-wire with external fixation respectively (p<0.05).
CONCLUSION
Percutaneous K-wire with external fixation showed better functional and radiographic results than percutaneous K-wire fixation only for the treatment of the displaced distal radius fractures in elderly patients older than 65 years and percutaneous K-wire with external fixation is thought to be a one of the most effective treatment of the displaced distal radius fractures in elderly patients.