[Py-Desmanet pinning in distal radius fractures]

Internal fixation by pinning is one of the most used methods of surgical treatment in fractures of the distal extremity of the radius. As in stable fractures a styloid pinning is satisfactory, in unstable fractures however we must resort to different patterns of pin insertion, in order to effectively prevent the secondary displacement of the fractured fragments. The elastic pinning described by Py and Desmanet is one of the possibilities of inserting the pins. The principle of this method is to use the bending-induced tension in the pins to counteract the postero-lateral displacing forces. The authors have treated by this technique five patients with distal radius fractures (3 women and 2 men) about 56 years of average age, all with good-quality bone, all with Colles' fracture pattern (2-4 cm above the radio-carpal articulation, no articular involvement, posterior displacement of the distal fragment). The reduction of the fractures was achieved by closed manipulation and controlled intraoperatively with the C-arm. We preferred to reduce the fractures before inserting the pins, although this is not compulsory, according to the authors of the technique. The approach was minimally-invasive, through two 1-cm long incisions. The pins, previously blunted and curved along the last centimeters, were introduced using a "T"-shaped handle. The potential complications, consisting of injuries of the many elements which cross the region, were avoided by sufficiently long incisions and identification and retraction of these elements (tendons, nervous branches) in order not to penetrate them with the pins. The aftertreatment consisted of immediate mobilization of the wrist in one patient, 21-day splinting in other two and 30-day splinting in the last two, depending on the intraoperative assessment of the stability of the fixation. The pins were removed at 45 days postoperatively in all cases. There were no complications such as loss of reduction or pin migration. In all cases, there were good anatomic and functional results.

This method is relatively fast and simple, does not require special or expensive equipment and it gives good results in carefully selected cases.