Colles Fracture - Late Complications

- extensor pollicis longus rupture:
- RSD
- often RSD following colles fractures will result from over distraction of an external fixator;
- in the presentation by D Stoffelen and PL Broos (15 th Annual Meeting of the Orthopaedic Trauma Association 1999), the authors found
use of calcitonin to be helpful in treating this disorder;
- vitamin C: Can Vitamin C Prevent Complex Regional Pain Syndrome in Patients with Wrist Fractures?
- loss of reduction and secondary deformity;
- median nerve compression;
- Predictors of Acute Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Associated With Fracture of the Distal Radius
- malunion:
- distal radioulnar joint injury;
- extension of Colles frx into the RU joint has a worse prognosis;
- in stable extra-articular fractures, there will often be frx extension into the DRUJ, which is the most likely source of symptoms;
- patients may note:
- weak grip;
- localized pain;
- loss of supination;