OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the effectiveness of volar plate surgery in patients with distal radius fractures (DRFs) initially treated nonsurgically but later experiencing reduction loss during follow-ups. Specifically, it assessed the impact of early surgery (E) (<3 weeks) versus delayed surgery (D) (3-6 weeks) on wrist function in surgically treated DRFs.
METHODS: This retrospective study included 131 patients who underwent surgery after loss of reduction. Among them, 42 patients had delayed surgery, whereas 89 received early surgical treatment. The mean follow-up duration was 18 months. The primary outcome measure was Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand scores. Secondary outcomes included Short Form-12 physical component summary and mental component summary scores, postoperative range of motion, and radiological measurements such as radial length, radial inclination angle, and volar tilt angle. Fracture types were categorized using Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Osteosynthesefragen/Orthopaedic Trauma Association classification based on radiological images.
RESULTS: All 131 DRFs achieved radiological union. Mean Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand scores were 8.0 (range, 0-78) and 10.8 (range, 0-73) for groups E and D, respectively, and the difference was not considered clinically relevant. Short Form-12 physical component summary scores (49.4 for E; 45.3 for D) and Short Form-12 mental component summary scores (52.3 for E; 53.5 for D) were similar in the two groups. Radiological measurements and range of motion were similar in the two groups. Complications, including carpal tunnel syndrome, superficial radial nerve neuropraxia, and complex regional pain syndrome, occurred in 12 (13.5%) E group patients and 9 (21.4%) D group patients.
CONCLUSIONS: Clinical and radiological results of early and delayed surgery after loss of reduction in secondary displaced DRF were similar. However, complication rates were higher in delayed surgery.
METHODS: Prognostic IV.

BACKGROUND: The precise influence of plate position on clinical outcomes in the context of volar fixed-angle plating for distal radius fractures is not fully understood. This article aims to investigate the influence of plate position on clinical results, and functional outcomes in patients treated with volar fixed plating for distal radius fractures.
METHODS: A total of 58 patients with 64 distal radius fractures were included in the study. Patient demographics, fracture characteristics, surgical details, and radiographic data were collected. Post-operative AP and Lat views of all patients taken on the first day after surgery were evaluated. Volar Tilt, Radial Inclination and Radial Height measurements were used as reduction criteria. In the follow-up, the patients were called for their last control, flexion and extension angles of the wrist and Mayo Wrist Scores, the distance of the plate to the joint line and the angle between the plate and the radial shaft were measured and recorded.
RESULTS: A total of 64 distal radius fractures, with a mean age of 46.9 years, and the mean follow-up period 24.9 months were included in this study. There was a significant relationship between the Radial Inclination and Plate-Shaft Angle variables and the Mayo Wrist Score at a 99% confidence interval. Additionally, a relationship was observed between the Radial Height variable and the Mayo Score at a 90% confidence interval. A significant positive association was observed between radial inclination and achieving a Good-to-Excellent Mayo score (OR = 1.28, 95% CI [1.08-1.51], p = 0.004). Plate distance to joint line demonstrated a marginally significant positive association with a Good-to-Excellent Mayo score (OR = 1.31, 95% CI [0.97-1.77], p = 0.077). Univariate analysis revealed a significant negative association between plate-shaft angle and achieving a Good-to-Excellent Mayo score (OR = 0.71, 95% CI [0.52-0.99], p = 0.045). This negative association remained statistically significant in the multivariate analysis (p = 0.016).
CONCLUSIONS: Radial inclination, plate distance to joint line, and angle between plate and radius shaft were identified as significant factors associated with improved Mayo Wrist Scores.

BACKGROUND: Several methods have been used for the treatment of pediatric distal radius fractures, such as the elastic stable intramedullary nail (ESIN), Kirschner wire (K-wire), and plate, but there has been no consensus about the optimum method. The purpose of this study was to compare ESIN and K-wire techniques used in metaphyseal-diaphyseal junction (MDJ) fractures of the pediatric distal radius.
METHODS: The data of patients who were treated at a children\'s hospital affiliated with Shandong University between August 2018 and January 2022 were analyzed retrospectively. The children were divided into the ESIN and K-wire groups. Clinical outcomes were measured by the Gartland and Werley scoring system. Variables were analyzed using a statistical approach between the two groups.
RESULTS: The study included 26 patients, of whom 11 were treated with K-wire and 15 with ESIN. At the final follow-up, all of the fractures were healed. There were no differences in terms of age, sex, fracture location, or wrist function score. However, the ESIN was superior to K-wire in operative time, fluoroscopic exposure, and estimated blood loss (EBL).
CONCLUSIONS: K-wire and ESIN are both effective methods in the treatment of MDJ fractures of the pediatric distal radius. The use of the ESIN technique represents less EBL, fluoroscopy exposure, and operation time compared with K-wire. We recommend osteosynthesis by ESIN rather than K-wires in patients with MDJ fractures of the distal radius.
METHODS: III, a case-control study.

Distal radius fractures (DRF) commonly occur in early postmenopausal females as the first fragility fracture. Although the incidence of DRF in this set of patients may be related to a lower ability to control their balance and gait, the detailed gait characteristics of DRF patients have not been examined.
Is it possible to identify the physical and gait features of DRF patients using in-shoe inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors at various gait speeds and to develop a machine learning (ML) algorithm to estimate patients with DRF using gait?
In this cross-sectional case control study, we recruited 28 postmenopausal females with DRF as their first fragility fracture and 32 age-matched females without a history of fragility fractures. The participants underwent several physical and gait tests. In the gait performance test, the participants walked 16 m with the in-shoe IMU sensor at slower, preferred, and faster speeds. The gait parameters were calculated by the IMU, and we applied the ML technique using the extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) algorithm to predict the presence of DRF.
The fracture group showed lower hand grip strength and lower ability to change gait speed. The difference in gait parameters was mainly observed at faster speeds. The amplitude of the change in the parameters was small in the fracture group. The XGBoost model demonstrated reasonable accuracy in predicting DRFs (area under the curve: 0.740), and the most relevant variable was the stance time at a faster speed.
Gait analysis using in-shoe IMU sensors at different speeds is useful for evaluating the characteristics of DRFs. The obtained gait parameters allow the prediction of fractures using the XGBoost algorithm.

BACKGROUND: Silicone radial head prostheses (SRHP) are considered obsolete due to reports of frequent failure and destructive silicone-induced synovitis. Considering the good outcomes of modern non-radial silicone joint implants, the extent of scientific evidence for this negative view is unclear. The aim of this research was to systematically analyze the clinical evidence on complications and outcomes of SRHP and how SRHP compare to both non-SRHP and silicone prostheses of other joints.
METHODS: A systematic literature review was conducted through the Cochrane, PubMed, and Embase databases.
RESULTS: Eight cohort studies were included, consisting of 142 patients and follow-up periods ranging from 23 months to 8 years. Average patient satisfaction was 86%, range of 71%-100%, and 58 complications were seen, but no cases of synovitis. These outcomes were in line with non-SRHP. Four case series with 11 cases of synovitis were found, all due to implant fractures years to decades after implantation. Six systematic reviews of currently used non-radial silicone joint implants showed excellent outcomes with low complication rates.
CONCLUSIONS: Since SRHP have satisfactory clinical results and an acceptable complication rate when selecting a patient group in suitable condition for surgical indications, it is considered that SRHP can still be chosen as a potential surgical treatment method in current clinical practice.

Background This study was conducted to investigate the characteristics, complications, radiologic features, and clinical course of patients undergoing reduction of forearm fractures to better inform patient prognosis and postoperative management. Methodology We conducted a retrospective chart review of 75 pediatric patients treated for forearm fractures between January 2014 and September 2021 in a 327-bed regional medical center. A preoperative radiological assessment and chart review was performed. Percent fracture displacement, location, orientation, comminution, fracture line visibility, and angle of angulation were determined by anteroposterior (AP) and lateral radiographs. Percent fracture displacement was calculated as 𝐵𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑆ℎ𝑎𝑓𝑡 𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 / 𝐷𝑖𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟 × 100% = % 𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡. The angle of angulation and percent fracture displacement were calculated by averaging AP and lateral radiograph measurements. Results A total of 75 cases, averaging 11.6 ± 4.1 years, were identified as having a complete fracture of the radius and/or ulna, with 66 receiving closed reduction and nine receiving fixation via an intramedullary device or percutaneous pinning. Eight (10.7%) patients experienced complications, with four resulting in a refracture and four resulting in significant loss of reduction without refracture. Fractures in the proximal two-thirds of the radius were associated with a significant increase in complications compared to fractures in the distal one-third of the radius (33.3% vs 3.6%) (p = 0.0005). Likewise, a greater fracture displacement percentage was associated with a lower risk of refracture post-reduction as those experiencing complications had over 30% greater total displacement pre-reduction compared to patients who did not experience complications such as refracture or loss of reduction (p < 0.0001). No elevated risk of complications was found based on fracture orientation, angulation, fracture line visibility, forearm bone(s) fractured, sex, age, or arm affected. Conclusions Our results highlight radius fracture location and percent fracture displacement as markers with prognostic value following forearm fracture. These measurements are simply calculated via pre-reduction radiographs, providing an efficient method of informing the risk of complications following forearm fracture reduction.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have demonstrated that the distal forearm dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan might be a better method for screening bone mineral density (BMD) and the risk of a distal forearm fracture, compared with a central DEXA scan. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a distal forearm DEXA scan for predicting the occurrence of a distal radius fracture (DRF) in elderly females who were not initially diagnosed with osteoporosis after a central DEXA scan.
METHODS: Among the female patients who visited our institutes and who were over 50 years old and underwent DEXA scans at 3 sites (lumbar spine, proximal femur, and distal forearm), 228 patients with DRF (group 1) and 228 propensity score-matched patients without fractures (group 2) were included in this study. The patients\' general characteristics, BMD, and T-scores were compared. The odds ratios (OR) of each measurement and correlation ratio among BMD values of the different sites were evaluated.
RESULTS: The distal forearm T-score of the elderly females with DRF (group 1) was significantly lower than that of the control group (group 2) (p < 0.001 for the one-third radius and ultradistal radius measurements). BMD measured during the distal forearm DEXA scan was a better predictor of DRF risk than BMD measured during the central DEXA (OR = 2.33; p = 0.031 for the one-third radius, and OR = 3.98; p < 0.001 for the ultradistal radius). The distal one-third radius BMD was correlated with hip BMD, rather than lumbar BMD (p < 0.05 in each group).
CONCLUSIONS: Performing a distal forearm DEXA scan in addition to a central DEXA scan appears to be clinically significant for detecting the low BMD in the distal radius, which is associated with osteoporotic DRF in elderly females.
METHODS: III; case-control study.

UNASSIGNED: The purpose of this 2-part study is to determine opioid prescribing patterns and opioid use and pain control after discharge following closed reduction of pediatric forearm fractures.
UNASSIGNED: A retrospective study was conducted from December 2016 to January 2018 at a level 1 trauma center to determine opioid prescribing habits for patients 1-17 years old with forearm fractures treated with closed reduction. A prospective study was then conducted from August 2019 to October 2020 to determine pain control and opioid use after discharge. Data were collected through chart review and with telephone surveys on post-discharge days 1, 3, and 5 to collect pain scores and opioid use.
UNASSIGNED: Fifty patients with a median age of 8 (interquartile range [IQR], 5-11) years old and 51 patients with a mean age of 9 (IQR, 6-11) years old were included in the retrospective and prospective cohorts, respectively. From the retrospective study, 21 patients (42%) were prescribed a median of 10 opioid doses (IQR, 8-12) at discharge. From the prospective study, 12 patients (24%) were discharged with a median of 8 opioid doses (IQR, 5.5-10), for a total of 98 total doses. Of those, only 7 doses (7%) were used by 3 patients. Higher weight and initial pain score were associated with increased rates of opioid prescription.
UNASSIGNED: Pediatric patients who undergo closed reduction of a forearm fracture under procedural sedation in the emergency department are prescribed approximately 14 times the amount of opioid that is used. We propose that prescribing only non-opioid analgesics to these patients would afford equivalent pain control without the side-effects and abuse potential of opioid use at an early age.

OBJECTIVE: Forearm fractures are the most frequent long bone fractures in children. There have been many reports of differences in leg length due to overgrowth in lower extremity fractures. However, reports of such overgrowth in fractures of the upper extremity are rare. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between angulation and overgrowth in pediatric radius fractures. We hypothesized that more angular deformation of the fracture would result in a periosteal transection and more overgrowth.
METHODS: Retrospectively, between 2013 and 2022, 14 patients under 16 years of age (mean age 9.43 years; 10 boys, four girls) with unilateral radius shaft or metaphyseal fracture without physeal injury, and a minimum follow-up of 12 months, were included. Demographic factors were analyzed; age, sex, body mass index (BMI), right or left. We evaluated the radiologic parameters; ulnar variances, degree of angularity before intervention, fracture gap and treatment options. The patients underwent conservative or surgical treatment.
RESULTS: The mean follow-up period was 27.9 months (range, 13-53 months). Eight patients underwent cast treatment, and six patients underwent surgical treatment. The difference in ulnar variances between the unaffected side and fracture side were statistically significant (P < 0.001). Sex, age, left or right, height, weight, and BMI were not statistically significant. The surgical treatment group (P = 0.013) and the sum of the maximum angularity (P = 0.017) were statistically significant. When the sum of the maximum angularity(SMA) was 30° or more, the ulnar variances were statistically significant, compared with the case where the SMA was less than 30°. The clinical results evaluated at the last outpatient follow-up were good in all patients.
CONCLUSIONS: First, this study implies that the degree of angulation of the fracture may affect the overgrowth of the radius in case of radius shaft or metaphyseal fracture, without physeal injury. Second, it implies that the degree of overgrowth may increase with surgical treatment, as opposed to that with conservative treatment.
METHODS: Level IV, Retrospective study.

Background  Distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) dislocation can occur as an isolated injury or in association with fracture radius (Galeazzi fracture-dislocation), Essex-Lopresti lesion or, rarely, with fracture of both radius and ulna (termed \"Galeazzi type fracture\"). DRUJ dislocations can be simple or complex. While simple DRUJ dislocation can be reduced by closed methods once the associated fractures are fixed anatomically, complex dislocation does not reduce by closed means. A complex DRUJ dislocation occurring in a both bone forearm fracture is an extremely unusual pattern of injury. Case Description  We describe the clinical presentation, intraop findings, management, and follow-up of two such cases of both bone forearm fracture with complex DRUJ dislocation. In both the cases, the ulnar head was found to be buttonholed through extensor retinaculum between the extensor tendons. Open reduction had to be done via dorsal approach. Timely intervention allowed good results in both the patients. Literature Review  Several authors have reported simple DRUJ dislocations in both bone forearm fractures; however, we could come across only three cases of complex DRUJ dislocation in a both bone forearm fracture. A summary of various series and reports on these injuries is presented. Case Relevance  Through this case report, we want to highlight this unusual association and emphasize on sequence of fixation, so that this perilous injury pattern is not missed, and favorable outcomes could be obtained through appropriate and timely intervention.