EVALUATION OF FUNCTIONAL AND RADIOLOGICAL OUTCOMES OF ADULT DIAPHYSEAL FRACTURES OF BOTH BONE FOREARM OPERATED WITH PLATING OR NAILING

Abstract

Background: Fractures of both radius and ulna are one of the most common fractures in adults in upper extremity .It is essential to regain length, apposition, axial alignment and normal rotational alignment while treating diaphyseal fractures of the radius and the ulna to gain good range of pronation and supination. Mal-union and nonunion occur more frequently because of the difculty in reducing and maintaining the reduction of two parallel bones in the presence of the pronating and supinating muscles that have angulating and rotational inuences). There lies a controversy with respect to choice of treatment as per chances of infection, duration of healing and the surgeon preferences. The present study is thus undertaken to compare functional outcome and radiological union using two different surgical modalities i.e. Dynamic Compression Plating and Intramedullary nailing. All adult patients(>12years) with Materials And Methods: diaphyseal fractures of both bones of forearm presenting to A&E department, requiring operative intervention were selected and were included in an interventional and comparative prospective cohort study.A total of 48 subjects fullling eligibility criteria were randomly divided into four groups A, B, C and D (12 each) using random number table. Most cases with Results: excellent to good functional outcome was seen in both bones plating group (100%) followed by hybrid techniques. Incidence of mal-union was seen in 2 cases each of both bone nailing and ulnar plating and radius nailing and in 1 case of radius plating and ulnar nailing. Among the four different xation methods for treating both bone diaphyseal forea Conclusion: rm fractures in adults, the method with both bone i.e. ulna and radius plate xation showed good stability in biomechanics, the lowest complication rate and best functional recovery outcomes