Treatment of displaced articular fractures of the radius

Forty patients with articular fractures of the distal radius in which anatomic reduction of the joint surface could not be obtained by closed manipulation or by ligamentotaxis with external fixators had a combination of percutaneous and/or open reduction techniques to restore articular congruity. X-ray films taken after treatment with an average follow-up of 4 years showed satisfactory extraarticular alignment in 85% of the cases, and 37 (92.5%) patients demonstrated an articular step-off of 1 mm or less at late follow-up examination. Radiographic evidence of radiocarpal arthritis was present in 5% of the cases at follow-up examination.