Fifty-six patients with fracture of distal radius were treated with intra-focal pinning at our hospital from May 1995 to May 1997. The elderly group (21 patients aged over 65 years) were compared with the younger group (35 patients) in respect to radiological findings, range of motions and postoperative functional evaluations.
Radiological evaluations included radial inclination, volar tilt, and radial shortening. Range of motions included palmar flexion, dorsal flexion, radial deviation, ulnar deviation, pronation, and supination. And postoperative functional evaluations were assessed using the point system proposed by Saito.
The results from radiographic analysis were as follows: As for radial inclinations and radial shortening, the elderly group were significantly worse compared with the younger group. But this result with radial shortening is not reliable because the ulnar variance generally increases with age.
As for the range of motions, there were no significant difference between two groups except palmar flexion and supination.
As for the postoperative functional evaluation, more than 90% patients in the younger group were “excellent”, and more than 95% patients in the elderly group were “excellent” or “good”.
From our study, we found that the intra-focal pinning for the fracture of distal radius is a useful surgical procedure even in the elderly patients.
