Unstable fractures of the distal radius continue to be a challenge to the trauma surgeon. In many cases adjunctive bone grafting is required to augment structural integrity and aid healing. An alternative approach is to fill the defect primarily with bone substitutes to avoid donor site morbidity. Between 1998 and 2001 we applied a resorbable calcium phosphate cement to treat these bone defects in 29 patients with distal radius fractures. In a retrospective study we could examine 20 patients after an average follow-up of 18.9 months. According to the Gartland and Werley score we found an average of 7.5 points. We conclude that the injection of a resorbable calcium phosphate cement into the metaphyseal defect of fractures of the distal radius provides good clinical and radiological results.
Distal radius fracture - bone graft - bone substitute - calcium phosphate cement
