Diaphyseal forearm fractures, 20 years after surgical treatment. Is there still an indication for percutaneous fixation?

OBJECTIVE

This is a retrospective study of 98 diaphyseal forearm fractures in adults, treated by a percutaneous technique with intramedullar Kirchner wires.

MATERIALS AND METHOD: We reviewed 64 patients with 98 forearm fractures with a radiographic follow-up, assessing the presence of pseudarthrosis or delayed bone union and evaluating functional outcomes with the Anderson and the Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand scale.

RESULTS

Clinical and radiological bone union was achieved in an average of 12 weeks. We obtained 77% of excellent and good results following Anderson's scale. There were 4 cases of pseudarthrosis and 6 cases of delayed bone union.

CONCLUSION

This surgical technique provides several advantages, such as a low incidence of complications and a total absence of infections, refractures and iatrogenic neurovascular injuries. It allows a lower hospital stay and a shortening of the surgery time compared with other techniques such as plates and intramedullary nails, that have similar results, in terms of bone union and functional outcomes, as we have verified from the published literature.