2. • A Colle’s wrist fracture occurs when the radius
bone in forearm breaks.
• It’s also known as a distal radius fracture,
transverse wrist fracture, or a dinner-fork
deformity of the wrist.
3.
4. • Radius is the larger of the two main bones in
your forearm.
• The distal part of the radius is the end near
your wrist.
• When Colles’ wrist fracture, the distal end
breaks, which can cause your wrist to bend in
an abnormal way.
5. • This injury is very painful.
• Might not be able to hold or grip anything,
and wrist will be swollen.
• And also have bruising in this area.
6. • This type of injury occurs more often in older
people with brittle bones, and in children,
whose bones tend to be soft.
• It can be treated successfully with surgery,
although recovery may be slow.
7. Types of Colles’ wrist fractures
Types of fractures include:
• Open fracture: if the bone broke through your
skin
• Comminuted fracture: if the bone broke into
more than two pieces
• Intra-articular fracture: if the bone broke into
your wrist joint
• Extra-articular fracture: if joint isn’t affected
8. Common causes and risk factors of a
Colles’ wrist fracture
• Have osteoporosis, a disease that weakens your
bones.
• Are elderly have low muscle mass or poor muscle
strength, or lack agility and have poor balance
(these conditions make you more likely to fall)
• Walk or do other activities in snow or on ice, or
do activities that require a lot of forward
momentum, such as in-line skating and skiing
• Have an inadequate intake of calcium or vitamin
D
9. Treating the fracture
• The most important treatment initially is
immobilizing wrist in a splint.
• Simply use a magazine wrapped around wrist
to help support it.
• Elevate wrist above the level of your heart to
prevent further swelling.
• Putting an ice pack on the injury also helps
reduce swelling.
10. • Over-the-counter medications such as
acetaminophen and ibuprofen can help relieve
pain.
• Don’t try to straighten your wrist, and avoid
moving it around.
11. Complications
• Median nerve symptoms are not uncommon,
but usually subside after reduction.
• Median nerve compression also occurs
occasionally as a late complication of a badly
reduced fracture.
• Malunion may be associated with pain from a
subluxated distal radioulnar joint, the pain
tending to occur on rotation of the forearm.
12. Treatment
• If the fracture is only minimally displaced,
reduction is not necessary.
• A useful way of assessing the need for reduction
is to draw a line between the two lips of the
articular surface of the radius on the lateral film.
• If this line is at right angles or slightly tilted
forwards relative to the line of the radial shaft,
then reduction is not necessary.
• Any backward tilt of this line suggests the need
for reduction.
13.
14. • The usual method of reducing the fracture is
by manipulation under anaesthesia.
• A dorsal plaster slab is prepared, of a size
sufficient to cover the forearm and wrist to
the level of the knuckles and to extend around
the sides of the forearm, but not to meet at
the front.
• The elbow is held by an assistant and traction
is applied to disimpact the distal fragment,
which is then flexed, pushed in a palmar
direction and towards the ulnar side.
15. Smith ’ s f racture
• This is a fracture of the lower end of the radius
with palmar angulation.
16. Treatment
• Smith ’ s fracture is usually treated by open
reduction and internal fixation with a plate
applied to the palmar aspect of the radius.
