PLATE OSTEOSYNTHESIS OF DIAPHYSEAL FRACTURES OF THE RADIUS AND ULNA

Between January 1980 and December 1989, 133 consecutive patients were treated for a fracture of the shaft of one or both forearm bones (134 forearms in total). All fractures were stabilized with AO/ASIF 3.5 mm stainless-steel dynamic compression plates. The 1 year follow-up rate was 99 per cent; the long-term follow-up rate was 92 per cent (the mea n long-term follow-up was 10.2 years (range, 2.7-15.2)) so there were 96 men and 35 women, with an average age of 37.5 years (range, 16-63). Twenty-two per cent of the forearms had open fractures, 26 per cent o f patients had sustained multiple injuries and 19 per cent had a head injury. One hundred and twenty-seven of 132 forearms (96.2 per cent) u nderwent problem-free consolidation before 6 months. Two delayed union s and two non-unions required reoperation. There was one superficial i nfection in a patient with a closed fracture. Plates were removed from 70 patients (53 percent) at a mean of 33.1 months (range, 8-122) afte r the first operation. In this group, there were three refractures (4. 3 per cent) occurring at a mean of 8.7 months (range, 0-14) after plat e removal. This study confirms the safety and efficacy of plate osteos ynthesis in forearm shaft fractures: a high union rate and low complic ation rate can be anticipated. The data presented form the most reliab le information on this subject currently available with the longest an d highest rate of follow up of a sufficient number of patients using a single implant system in a single institution. Copyright (C) 1996 Els evier Science Ltd.