Distal Radius Fracture Pattern Correlates with Pronator Quadratus Injury Severity

Area of Science:

• Orthopaedic Surgery
• Traumatology
• Anatomy

Background:

• The pronator quadratus (PQ) muscle is crucial for wrist stability.
• Understanding the extent of PQ injury in distal radius fractures is important for surgical outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between distal radius fracture patterns and the severity of pronator quadratus (PQ) injury.
• To determine if fracture classification and displacement correlate with PQ muscle damage.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 148 patients with distal radius fractures treated with open reduction internal fixation.
• Intraoperative grading of PQ injury (type 1: intact, type 2: transverse tear, type 3: complex tears).
• Fracture classification using the Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA) system.

Main Results:

• Partial-articular fractures were linked to less severe PQ injury (p=0.040).
• Volar fracture angulation was protective against PQ injury (p=0.0001).
• Increased dorsal translation in dorsally displaced fractures correlated with more severe PQ injury (p=0.006).

Conclusions:

• Distal radius fracture angulation, OTA classification, and dorsal translation are significant predictors of PQ injury severity.
• These factors provide insights into the biomechanics of distal radius fractures and associated soft tissue damage.