Forearm Fractures

Evidence-Based Orthopedics, pp. 515–520

Abstract

This chapter presents the case scenarios of patient A, a 42-year-old male carpenter, fell from a ladder and landed on his dominant right forearm, and patient B, a 38-year-old male construction worker, who was struck on the ulnar aspect of his left forearm by a falling metal rod at a construction site. One of the most common causes for residual wrist disability after distal radial fractures is distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) instability. There is currently no consensus as to the best treatment plan for isolated ulnar shaft fractures, which may lead to complications such as nonunion, radioulnar synostosis, and decreased forearm range of motion. Inadequate treatment of DRUJ injuries can lead to continuing wrist pain, decreased grip strength, and limited pronosupination. Surgical fixation of DRUJ injuries in Galeazzi fractures provides better short-term outcomes than conservative treatment. The chapter also provides recommendations for implementing evidence-based practice in the clinical setting.

Authors 2

1. Habeeb Khan CCPA

   St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton

   Affiliation as printed

   St. Joseph's Healthcare, Hamilton, ON, Canada

2. Rudolf Wilhelm Poolman Aachen

   Leiden University Medical Center

   Affiliation as printed

   Leiden University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands