Osteosynthesis In Fractures Of Forearm Bones:

Magdy Mohamed Ahmed El-sayed

SUMMARY- Fifty - four patients with displaced fractures of the shafts of the forearm hones treated by A 0 plate or intramedullary fixation .Thirty - two cases were treated in Benha University Hospital, twelve cases were treated in Benha Health Insurance Hospital, and ten cases were treated in other different hospital in period between 1987 - 1990 .-The youngest patient was 14 years old .-The oldest patient was 60 years old . The average age was 32.4 years old . Male cases represented 72.2 % of all cases .-Female cases represented 27.8 % of cases .-30 cases (55.6 %) were right side .-24 cases (44.4 %) were left side .-13 cases (24.1 %) were open fractures .-Falls caused 31.5 % of the injuries; road-traffic accidents,53.7 %; machine accident, 3.7%,sport accident, 7.4 % ; and blow in a qurrel, 3.7 % .244fractures were in the middle third. 20 fractures in the distal third and 17 in the proximal third .-21 fractures (19.4 %) were comminuted and 6 fractures (5.6 %) were double level.The shortest follow - up was 3 months and the longest follow-up was 30 months with an average of 11.2 months.-33 patients (61.1 %) were fixed during the first two weeks and 21 (38.9 %) after two weeks and up to one month.-9 cases had associated injuries .-In 33 forearms Henry approach was used while in 21 forearms the Thompson approach was used.-22 cases (40.7 %) were grafted.49 cases were fixed by A 0 plates for radius and ulna, two cases were fixed by Rush pins for radius and ulna, one case by Rush pin for ulna and plate for radius; one case by plate for ulna and Rush pin for radius; and one case by Kirschner wires .-Post - operative immobilization was performed for 45 . patients .245nit! tiVt!t t t•:■11 I t 1401 t,42 cases (77.R V were excellent . 6 cases (11.1 %) were good .4 cases (7.4 %) were fair . 2 cases (3.7 %) were poor .- The complications occurred in our study were infectionin (7.4 %) ; delayed union in (3.7 %); non - union in (3.7 %); failure of fixation in (5.6 %); nerve injury in (3.7 %); cross union in (1.9 %); tourniquet paralysis In (1.9 %) and stiff fingers in (1.9 %