Which Fracture Types Are Associated with Widening of the Scapholunate Distance? A CT-Scan Study of Acute Intraarticular Distal Radius Fractures.

Background

Scapholunate injuries in distal radius fractures may frequently be overlooked. The aims of this study were to measure the scapholunate distance in intraarticular distal radius fractures and to find out which fracture types were associated with an increased scapholunate width.

Methods

Measurements of the scapholunate distance were performed on computed tomography scans of 143 intraarticular distal radius fractures in 140 patients. The fractures were classified according to the AO classification. The morphology of AO type B fractures was further analysed according to the Bain classification.

Results

In 43 AO type B fractures mean scapholunate distance measured 2.1 mm and in 100 type C fractures 1.6 mm. The difference between partial and complete intraarticular fractures was significant. A trend towards a greater scapholunate distance was found in AO type B1 and radial styloid oblique fractures.

Conclusions

In this study, partial intraarticular distal radius fractures, especially with a sagittal split, had a greater scapholunate distance and may be at risk for ligamentous injury.