Treatment of fractures of the distal radius with a remodellable bone cement - A prospective, randomised study using Norian SRS

We performed a prospective, randomised study on 110 patients more than 50 y ears old with fractures of the distal radius to compare the outcome of cons ervative treatment with that using remodellable bone cement (Norian skeleta l repair system, SRS) and immobilisation in a cast for two weeks, Patients treated with SRS had less pain and earlier restoration of movement and grip strength, The results at one year were satisfactory in 81.54% of the SRS patients and 55.55% of the control group. The rates of malunion wer e 18.2% and 41.8%, respectively, There was a significant relationship betwe en the functional and radiological results. Soft-tissue extrusion was prese nt initially in 69.1% of the SRS patients; most deposits disappeared progre ssively, but persisted in 32.73% at one year. We conclude that the injection of a remodellable bone cement into the trabe cular defect of fractures of the distal radius provides a better clinical a nd radiological result than conventional treatment.