[Secondary arthrosis of the wrist joint in malposition of healed and uncorrected distal radius fracture].
The authors report on long-term results of thirty-five unreduced distal radius fractures with malunion. The mean observation period was 11.5 years (5 to 45 years). It was found malalignment of the carpal articular surface of the radius with a resulting decrease in range of motion of the wrist, well tolerated by the patients and apparently not very painful. Much more evident was pain and decreased motion in the distal radio-ulnar joint for pronation and supination, which paralleled the extent of osteoarthrosis of this joint. This reduced forearm rotation was due to shortening of the radius, leading to incongruency and even dislocation of the distal radio-ulnar joint.