[Evaluation of carpal instability after distal radius fracture]

In this study carpal stability was assessed in a group of patients with distal fractures of the radius. The aim of this study was to: assess the frequency of carpal instability as a concomitant lesion to fractures of the distal radius, determine the type of instability and its correlation to fracture type and patient age, assess the influence of bone fragment dislocation on the type of instability. For a clinical evaluation of carpal instability results of physical examination and X-ray examination performed in both static and dynamic conditions were taken into account. In 33% of the examined cases different types of instability were noted. Carpal instability was found more often among younger patients, predominantly of the dorsal type. The type of observed instability depended mainly on the injury mechanism and fracture type of the distal radial epiphysis. Fracture type did not influence the frequency of carpal instability, whereas direction and degree of bone fragment displacement did correlate to the type of primary or secondary instability.