The rationale for precise management of distal radius fractures.

Abstract

Fractures of the distal radius continue to be one of the most common skeletal injuries treated by orthopedic or trauma surgeons. These injuries account for one sixth of all fractures seen and treated in emergency rooms. The rapid expansion of knowledge regarding the functional anatomy of the hand and wrist, the recognition by treating physicians of the ever increasing functional demands of senior citizens, and improved methodologies of achieving and maintaining anatomic restoration of these fractures have generated a renewed interest in addressing these fractures in a more precise manner.