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Cartilage injuries in distal radial fractures

Lindau, T ; Adlercreutz, C and Aspenberg, Per LU (2003) In Acta Orthopaedica Scandinavica 74(3). p.327-331
Abstract
Subchondral hematomas have been found with arthroscopy in one third of patients with dislocated distal radial fractures. The aim of the present, prospective study was to determine whether these hematomas might cause radiographic osteoarthrosis. We studied 41 patients (age 20-57 years, 22 women) with a dislocated distal radial fracture. At the time of fracture, 12 patients had subchondral hematomas in a radiocarpal compartment without a fracture line, as defined by arthroscopy. The 1-year follow-up included clinical and radiographic examinations. At. follow-up, radiographic subchondral bone plate changes occurred in unfractured compartments in 8 patients, of whom 7 had had a previous arthroscopically diagnosed subchondral hematoma (p =... (More)
Subchondral hematomas have been found with arthroscopy in one third of patients with dislocated distal radial fractures. The aim of the present, prospective study was to determine whether these hematomas might cause radiographic osteoarthrosis. We studied 41 patients (age 20-57 years, 22 women) with a dislocated distal radial fracture. At the time of fracture, 12 patients had subchondral hematomas in a radiocarpal compartment without a fracture line, as defined by arthroscopy. The 1-year follow-up included clinical and radiographic examinations. At. follow-up, radiographic subchondral bone plate changes occurred in unfractured compartments in 8 patients, of whom 7 had had a previous arthroscopically diagnosed subchondral hematoma (p = 0.02) in the same compartment. Of the 8 patients with radiographic changes, 4 had also developed joint space narrowing (osteoarthrosis (OA) grade 1) after 1 year and 6 after 3 years. All but 1 had had a hematoma in the same compartment. More importantly, 3 of the 16 patients with entirely extra-articular fractures had subchondral bone plate changes in a compartment corresponding to a previous subchondral hematoma (p = 0.02). One of these had also developed joint space narrowing. The patients with radiographic changes had a worse outcome, as measured with the Gartland and Werley wrist score (p = 0.06). In conclusion, subchondral hematomas in distal radial fractures can lead to early onset of mild OA and worse outcome after 1 year. (Less)
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publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Acta Orthopaedica Scandinavica
volume
74
issue
3
pages
327 - 331
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • wos:000184075400014
  • pmid:12899554
  • scopus:0038441785
ISSN
0001-6470
DOI
10.1080/00016470310014265
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
67afaffa-3bd6-440c-ab47-3046e37842cd (old id 306914)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 15:26:20
date last changed
2022-03-06 23:41:47
@article{67afaffa-3bd6-440c-ab47-3046e37842cd,
  abstract     = {{Subchondral hematomas have been found with arthroscopy in one third of patients with dislocated distal radial fractures. The aim of the present, prospective study was to determine whether these hematomas might cause radiographic osteoarthrosis. We studied 41 patients (age 20-57 years, 22 women) with a dislocated distal radial fracture. At the time of fracture, 12 patients had subchondral hematomas in a radiocarpal compartment without a fracture line, as defined by arthroscopy. The 1-year follow-up included clinical and radiographic examinations. At. follow-up, radiographic subchondral bone plate changes occurred in unfractured compartments in 8 patients, of whom 7 had had a previous arthroscopically diagnosed subchondral hematoma (p = 0.02) in the same compartment. Of the 8 patients with radiographic changes, 4 had also developed joint space narrowing (osteoarthrosis (OA) grade 1) after 1 year and 6 after 3 years. All but 1 had had a hematoma in the same compartment. More importantly, 3 of the 16 patients with entirely extra-articular fractures had subchondral bone plate changes in a compartment corresponding to a previous subchondral hematoma (p = 0.02). One of these had also developed joint space narrowing. The patients with radiographic changes had a worse outcome, as measured with the Gartland and Werley wrist score (p = 0.06). In conclusion, subchondral hematomas in distal radial fractures can lead to early onset of mild OA and worse outcome after 1 year.}},
  author       = {{Lindau, T and Adlercreutz, C and Aspenberg, Per}},
  issn         = {{0001-6470}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{327--331}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Acta Orthopaedica Scandinavica}},
  title        = {{Cartilage injuries in distal radial fractures}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00016470310014265}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/00016470310014265}},
  volume       = {{74}},
  year         = {{2003}},
}