[Is use of the fixateur externe no longer indicated for the treatment of unstable radial fracture in the elderly?].

BACKGROUND

In recent years there has been an increasingly marked shift in the operative treatment of unstable fractures of the distal radius. The introduction of locking compression plates has made it possible to extend the indications for palmar stabilisation according to the principles of internal fixation to extension fractures even in osteoporotic bone, and since then the new design has been used more and more widely. First clinical results show very good and good clinical and radiological outcomes in over 80% of cases after locking compression plate osteosynthesis. All this raises the question of whether external fixation is no longer indicated for distal radius fractures in the elderly, or is now no more than a second-line treatment.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Within a 5-year period, 67 patients over 65 years of age were identified among 220 who had had unstable fractures of the distal radius in our hospital with external fixation. The average follow-up period (clinical and radiological examinations) was 37 months. We devoted particular attention to the analysis of complications and problems during the treatment.

RESULTS

Complete bone healing was observed in all patients treated with external fixation. In most cases, complications were minor pin-track infections (10%). The radiological follow-up examination revealed radial shortening by an average of 2 mm and an average radial shift of 0.2 mm. The joint angle was 2.5 degrees with lateral irradiation and 18 degrees with dorso-palmar irradiation. According to the Gartland and Werley score, the functional, radiological and subjective outcome was excellent or good in 87% of these patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, internal fixation with angular fixed plates has definite benefits. The medium- and long-term follow-up and functional outcome still show no benefits over external fixation, however. External fixation is a genuine option, even if as second-line treatment.