Surgical Management of Acute on Chronic Distal Radius Fractures: Correcting Malunion Deformities Through the Secondary Fracture Plane.

It is challenging to restore the clinically acceptable alignment of the distal radius after an acute on chronic fracture or after a secondary fracture occurring after malunion of a primary distal radius fracture. In cases of insignificant primary deformity, restoration to the primary deformity may suffice to obtain a successful clinical result. A borderline acceptable primary radial deformity can be unacceptable after the second injury, resulting in functional disability. If surgery is indicated, the surgeon must contend with both primary and secondary deformities to restore proper distal radius anatomy. We present our technique to correct both primary and secondary distal radius deformities through the new or secondary fracture plane.