Wrist Fractures eMedicine Emergency

Description: The wrist is the most commonly injured region of the upper extremity. Fractures of the distal radius and ulna account for three fourths of wrist injuries. The carpal bones themselves are injured much less frequently but account for up to 10% of injuries to the structures of the hand. Not only are these injuries frequently encountered in the emergency department setting, but the mobility and delicate functional requirements of the hand make accurate diagnosis and treatment crucial to avoiding long-term loss of function and disability.
Synonyms and related keywords: fractured wrist, broken wrist, carpal bone fracture, distal radius fractures, ulna fractures, ulnar fractures, wrist fracture, scaphoid fracture, lunate fracture, triquetrum fracture, capitate fracture, hamate fracture, trapezium fracture, trapezoid fracture, pisiform fracture, lunate and perilunate dislocation, extension injuries, flexion injuries, fractures of the distal radius and/or ulna, extension fractures of the distal radius, Colles fracture, pseudocarpal injuries, wrist articular injuries, Barton fracture, push-off fracture, radial styloid fracture, Hutchinson fracture
Hoynak & Hopson 2007