Distal Ulna Fracture Fixation with the Specialized Threaded Pin

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Traumatology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Distal ulna fractures often require surgical fixation due to malunion risks, especially when associated with distal radius fractures.
• Traditional plate fixation for these fractures can lead to prominent hardware and necessitate removal.
• Intramedullary fixation presents an alternative to mitigate complications associated with plate fixation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of a novel intramedullary threaded pin for treating distal ulna fractures.
• To assess patient outcomes and complications associated with this fixation method.
• To compare this technique with traditional plate fixation for distal ulna fractures.

Main Methods:

• A series of nine patients with distal ulna fractures, all with associated distal radius fractures, were treated using intramedullary threaded pin fixation.
• Preoperative and postoperative radiographs were analyzed.
• Patient-reported outcomes were assessed using the QuickDASH and visual analog scale (VAS) scores via phone follow-up.

Main Results:

• The average QuickDASH score was 13.6, with a median of 9.1.
• Three patients reported occasional ulnar-sided wrist pain (average VAS 1.3).
• No threaded pin removal was required; one patient had radial plate removal. All patients returned to activities, except one who experienced stiffness affecting musical instrument playing.

Conclusions:

• Intramedullary threaded pin fixation is a feasible alternative for distal ulna fractures.
• This method may offer advantages over plate fixation by avoiding prominent hardware.
• The technique demonstrates good patient outcomes with minimal need for secondary procedures.