Comminuted displaced Colles' fractures. Treatment with intramedullary methylmethacrylate stabilisation

Four women aged 87, 77, 74 and 69 years with severely comminuted, displaced and intraarticular Colles' fractures of the dominant hand, where conservative treatment had failed, were treated by use of intramedullary methylmethacrylate stabilisation in order to retain optimal anatomical position of the fracture. The patients were followed by serial clinical, radiological and 99Technetium-scintimetrical examinations for at least 1 year. Normal mobility of the wrist and power of the grip was obtained within 6 weeks postsurgery in all patients. Radiological cortical bone healing occurred within normal time and scintimetrically the fractures was healed within 6 weeks. No secondary displacement of the fractures occurred. It was concluded that this method might be considered in the treatment of certain severely comminuted and unstable Colles' fractures as it seem to offer a quick rehabilitation and so far no late problems.