Barton's fractures-reverse Barton's fractures. Confusing eponyms.

Anterior and posterior marginal fracture dislocations of the distal radius are unusual injuries, both of which are called Barton's fracture in the current world literature. Barton's original description delineates only the posterior marginal injury. An attempt is made to clarify the nature of these injuries by a complete review of the literature and a study of the clinical experience at UCLA Hospital from 1972 through 1975. Ten anterior and five posterior marginal fractures were treated during that period of time, constituting 2.3 per cent of all distal forearm fractures. Fractures in males typically stemmed from high velocity accidents in the younger age group and were associated with significant additional injuries. The injuries in females resulted from simple falls, generally in the older age group. Eight fractures were treated open and seven closed without complications; treatment results have not been determined yet. Eponym descriptions should be discontinued and replaced with a lucid anatomically descriptive classification such as anterior and posterior marginal fracture-dislocations of the distal radius.