Treatment of Distal Radius Fracture Nonunion With Posterior Interosseous Bone Flap Publisher



Saremi H¹ ; Shahryarkamrani R^{2, 3} ; Ghane B³ ; Yavarikia A¹
Source: Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal Published:2016

Abstract

Background: Nonunion of distal radius fractures is disabling. Treatment is difficult and the results are not predictable. However, posterior interosseous bone flap (PIBF) has been successful in treating forearm nonunion. Objectives: To treat distal radius fracture nonunion with PIBF as a new procedure. Patients and Methods: This prospective non-randomized cohort study was performed at two hospitals in Tehran between January 2011 and September 2015. PIBFs were applied in nine patients (10 nonunions) with a mean age of 55 years. Union success rate, grip strength, wrist range of motion, and forearm rotation were then evaluated. Results: Although four of the patients had a history of infection, all participants achieved fracture union at a mean time of 3.8 months. Grip strength improved by 12.4 kg. There was also 36° improvement in wrist flexion, 20° improvement in wrist extension, 60° improvement in forearm supination, and 46° improvement in forearm pronation. The range of motion and grip strength improvements were significant. Conclusions: Pedicled PIBF is a new option for treating distal radius fracture nonunion. The results are predictable in achieving union and good function, and this technique can be successfully used in cases with extensive soft-tissue damage or infection. © 2016, Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.