Thesis (Ph.D.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Medicine- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery

Distal radius fractures are the most common fractures of the upper extremity, representing approximately one-sixth of all fractures treated in the emergency room. Falling on the out-stretched hand is the most common mode of trauma. Various classification systems are used to classify distal radius fractures; in this study, the AO classification system was used. There are different methods for treatment of this type of fractures including casting, percutaneous pinning, ORIF by plate and screws, external fixation with or without K-wires augmentation and a combination of the above methods. In this study, forty patients with intra-articular fracture distal radius were managed over 18 months , 20 patients were managed by ORIF with plating and the other 20 patients were managed by external fixator with K-wires augmentation , 34 patients were males and 6 were females with age ranging from 22 to 83 years with a mean of 39.8. Green & O{u2019}Brien and Sarmiento scoring systems were used in assessment of the patients. According to Green and O'Brien score, ORIF group had better functional outcomes when compared to external fixation group; 90% of the ORIF group had accepted functional outcomes as compared to 75% of external fixation group. The radiographic results in the ORIF group were more favorable than in the external fixation group according to Sarmiento score. The percentage of patients with acceptable radiological parameters in ORIF group was 95% while in the external fixation group it was 85 %. In addition, ORIF had an overall decreased incidence of complications compared with external fixation; 20% of patients in ORIF group developed complications, in comparison to 25% in external fixation group

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