A wrist fracture or Distal Radius Fracture is a medical term used to denote a broken wrist. The human wrist comprises 8 small bones which are together joined with the two bones of the forearm, the ulna, and radius. A breakage or crack in any of these ten bones is referred to as a wrist fracture. Most wrist fractures involve the breaking of the radius bone and are termed the Distal Radius Fracture. Fractures increase the risk of Osteoarthritis in the affected joint if not treated properly.
Causes
- A direct fall on an outstretched hand
- Physical combat
- Automobile accident
- Sports-related injuries
- Weak bone structure due to calcium deficit diet
- Osteoporosis
Symptoms
- Severe pain
- Visible deformity
- Bruising and redness
- Swelling and tenderness in the arm and wrist
- Inability to move the hand or loss of function
- A piece of bone may protrude out of the skin
- The hand and fingers may go numb or turn white
- Stiffness
Diagnosis
- The orthopedic doctor may ask questions about the cause of injury
- Evaluation of the patient’s medical history and previous injuries, if any
- Thorough physical examination of the injured hand
- X-ray imaging may be done to assess bone damage
- MRI scan may help to detect minute fractures and ligament tears
- CT scans show damage to nerves, blood vessels, and soft tissues
Treatment
- The doctor may recommend supporting the injured wrist with a splint
- Applying ice packs for a few days following the injury
- Anti-inflammatory medications may be prescribed by the doctor
- Taking rest and avoiding strenuous activities that may aggravate pain
- Fracture reduction- The doctor may manually put the displaced and broken pieces of bones together. The patient is generally given a local anesthetic before the treatment
- The patient may be advised to undergo physical therapy for a couple of months after removing the cast to restore joint function
- Surgical fixation in case of compound fracture may be done by implanting screws, rods, and plates
- External fixation- The surgeon may immobilize the broken joint by holding it between two metal plates and passing a rod across the bone
Differential Diagnosis
Distal Radius Fractures
- Barton’s Fracture
- Chauffer’s Fracture
- Colles’ Fracture
- Die-Punch Fracture
- Radial Styloid Fracture
- Smith’s Fracture
Differential Diagnosis Wrist Pain
- Fractures
- Distal Radius Fracture
- Barton’s Fracture
- Chauffer’s Fracture
- Colles’ Fracture
- Die-Punch Fracture
- Radial Styloid Fracture
- Smith’s Fracture
- Distal Ulna Fracture
- Carpal Fractures
- Scaphoid Fracture
- Lunate Fracture
- Triquetrum Fracture
- Pisiform Fracture
- Trapezium Fracture
- Trapezoid Fracture
- Capitate Fracture
- Hamate Fracture
- Essex Lopresti Fracture
- Distal Radius Fracture
- Dislocations
- Carpometacarpal Joint Dislocation
- Distal Radioulnar Joint Dislocation
- Lunate Dislocation
- Perilunate Dislocation
- Instability & Degenerative
- Scapholunate Instability
- Lunotriquetral Instability
- Scaphoid Nonunion Advanced Collapse
- Distal Radial Ulnar Joint Instability
- Kienbocks Disease
- Tendinopathies & Ligaments
- De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis
- Intersection Syndrome
- TFCC Injury
- Wrist Tendinopathies
- Extensor Carpi Ulnaris Instability
- Neuropathies
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Pronator Teres Syndrome
- Anterior Interosseus Nerve Syndrome
- Posterior Interosseus Nerve Syndrome
- Guyon Canal Syndrome
- Pediatric Considerations
- Distal Radial Epiphysitis (Gymnast’s Wrist)
- Torus Fracture
- Arthropathies
- Wrist Osteoarthritis
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Cartilage
- Osteochondral Defect
- Vascular
- Hypothenar Hammer Syndrome
- Other
- Ganglion Cyst of Wrist
- Ulnar Impingement Syndrome
- Infectious Tenosynovitis
