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Cementing a New Treatment for Wrist Fractures

Wrist fractures can be tricky to treat. A break in the bone at the end of the forearm (the radius) can be especially difficult. With this kind of fracture, the surface of the wrist joint can become damaged, leading to early problems of arthritis. Sometimes the bone collapses. Surgery is often required. Until recently, this surgery was complicated. Pins, screws, and wires were needed to hold the bones together.

A new paste injected into the joint simplifies surgery. The paste surrounds the bone defect and hardens in 12 hours. This man-made substance is called synthetic graft.

When this graft material was first invented, it was injected into bone fractures. Now doctors are injecting the paste between the broken sections of bones where joints are formed. The bones are lined up and held together without pins or wires. Most patients wear a special device after surgery that holds the wrist still for four to six weaks, called an external fixator. This method gives the patient less pain and better motion once the fixator is taken off.

An injectable bone substitute can be used to repair wrist fractures affecting the joint surface. The material works like a paste and quickly hardens around the bone. This simplifies surgery and healing.

References: Minos Tyllianakis, MD, et al. Use of Injectable Calcium Phosphate in the Treatment of Intra-articular Distal Radius Fractures. In Orthopedics. March 2002. Vol. 25. No. 3. Pp. 311-315.

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