Colles' fracture

Hey Awesomites! Today I am gonna talk about Colles' fracture (a short post).

"It is an extra-articular fracture of the distal metaphyseal region of the Radius (at its cortico-cancellous junction) with dorsal impaction and angulation, caused due to a fall on outstretched hand (FOOSH) resulting in displacement of the fractured part of bone distally as well as radially."

Fall on outstretched hand resulting in displacements seen in Colles' fracture

Note that there is dorsal angulation and impaction in Colles' fracture as opposed to volar angulation in Smith's fracture, when seen in X-ray (AP and lateral views).

Displacements seen in Colles' fracture mnemonic- SLID
- Supination
- Lateral shift and tilt
- Impaction of bone fragments
- Dorsal shift and tilt.

Clinical features: mnemonicise the features here.

Dinner Fork deformity- Normally the styloid process of radius is at a lower level than the ulnar styloid. In Colles' fracture, the dorsal displacement and impaction of Radius results in shortening of the bone and places the radial styloid at the same level or a little higher than the ulnar styloid. Hence the patient presents with such a deformity resembling a dinner fork.

Thats all
- Jaskunwar Singh