Closed Management of a Distal Radius Refracture Through a Bent Volar Plate: Can an Open Procedure be Avoided? A Case Report
Authors: Chris Hall, Anton Lambers, Satyen Gohil
Site: Fiona Stanley Hospital, WA
This case report discusses a rare instance where a distal radius broke again after previously being plated. The patient was successfully treated through a non-surgical approach which had not been described before this study.
A 55-year-old man with a wrist fracture fixed 20 years prior with a plate and screws sustained a refracture after a fall. Although the plate was bent, it remained intact. Instead of opting for open surgery which is complex in this case, a closed reduction under anaesthesia was attempted in order to bend the plate and therefore the fracture back into alignment. The reduction proved successful, leading to bone healing and functional improvement over six months.
This is the first documented case of a closed reduction for a distal radius refracture with a bent plate. It shows for the international orthopaedic community the potential for such an approach with excellent outcomes so long as good bone alignment is possible, the implant isn’t broken, and the patient is agreeable.
Some years later Dr Lambers published a similar case in the lower leg, which can be accessed here.
