Rettig and Raskin reviewed 40 consecutive Galeazzi fracture-dislocations treated with ORIF to determine whether radial fracture location predicts DRUJ instability requiring supplemental stabilization — proposing a two-type, measurement-based classification system to guide operative decision-making.
When you fix a Galeazzi fracture, always test the DRUJ for instability in supination after radial fixation — and if the fracture is within 7.5 cm of the distal radius articular surface (Type I), have a low threshold to transfixion with K-wires, because more than half of these will be unstable.
The 2 poor outcomes in this series both came from unrecognized DRUJ subluxation in Type I injuries, not from failure of the plate.
Rettig and Raskin reviewed 40 consecutive Galeazzi fracture-dislocations treated with ORIF to determine whether radial fracture location predicts DRUJ instability requiring supplemental stabilization — proposing a two-type, measurement-based classification system to guide operative decision-making.
When you fix a Galeazzi fracture, always test the DRUJ for instability in supination after radial fixation — and if the fracture is within 7.5 cm of the distal radius articular surface (Type I), have a low threshold to transfixion with K-wires, because more than half of these will be unstable.
The 2 poor outcomes in this series both came from unrecognized DRUJ subluxation in Type I injuries, not from failure of the plate.