Study On Therapeutic Effects Of External Fixation With Splints For The Treatment Of Double Fractures Of Ulna And Radius On Teenagers

Bone setting manipulation of Guangdong Hospital of Chinese Medicine was passed on generation by generation from famous orthopaedic doctor Prof. He. Our seniors in orthopaedics such as Xianzhang Huang, Jinfeng Deng, Dabo Yan, have been practising small-splint fixation, especially double-splints on each side, to treat fracture of the radius and ulna for over 20 years and thus gain very unique clinical experiences. However, these treasures haven't been well reorganized yet. Here is a creative fixation derived from traditional small-splint fixation to treat fracture of the radius and ulna. We use broad splints on both palmar and dorsal sides to fix the fracture after reduction. The splints were placed without exceeding the carpal joint and tied up well with cotton cushion inside to improve anatomic anastomosis and stability. The two splints on each side, wide as a third of the diameter, and the cotton cushion could jointly resist to most extend the adverse inherent strain of muscles, and make the strain strap force palm-dorsally. In this way, patients are free to move their interphalangeal joinls and metacarpophalangeal joints early after fixation. By exercises of these joints, longitudinal pressure on the broken ends of fractured bone is produced by muscles, which helps reduce the gap between the broken ends. This study was to access the clinical effect, advantages and disadvantages of this method, comparing with traditional fixation method.Objective:To access the clinical effect, advantages and disadvantages of this new method of double broad splints with flexible fixation, for treatment of the fracture of the radius and ulna, comparing with traditional fixation method.Method: 58 patients of fracture of the radius and ulna were enrolled and divided randomly into three groups. Patients in group A and B were treated with manipulative reduction and respectively fixed with double splints(group A) and four splints(group B). Patients in group C underwent surgical reduction and fixation. Clinical effects of 3 different methods were evaluated by scores and compared with each other by rate of good quality.Result:All patients were followed up for a period varied from 6 to 18 months (13.6 months on average). There was no significant difference in clinical results between different groups.Conclusion:The double splint fixation method has advantages that the shape of splints suits the forearm well and that it to some extend strengthens forces to resist rotation. These properties could help prevent displacement of the broken ends of fractured bone, thus provide safe environment for early functional exercise. It is worth popularizing and utilizing.