PREDICTION OF SECONDARY DISPLACEMENT IN COLLES FRACTURE

In a prospective study, 645 consecutive Colles' fractures treated cons ervatively were followed until union. The fractures subsequently lost some of their manipulated position during the immobilization period. H owever, the anatomical end result was significantly improved compared with the initial deformity. The mean shortening of the radius during p laster-cast treatment was 3 mm, and the mean increase of dorsal angula tion was 7 degrees. Multiple regression analyses showed that initial d orsal angulation, age, and Older type were important predictor variabl es for the end result of dorsal angulation. Initial radial length, age and initial dorsal angulation were of importance for the end result o f radial length. The strongest linear relationship was found between t he end result of radial length and the initial radial length (r = 0.67 ). This may indicate that the patients who will malunite with radial s hortening are those with significant radial axial shortening at the in itial presentation. Thus, these patients should be treated with a more stable fixation device.