Colles Wrist Fracture

Colles Wrist Fracture Cause

COLLES Wrist Fracture is a break in your forearm just behind your wrist. It is caused by falling forward onto an outstretched arm snapping the end of the radial forearm bone. The break itself itself is sometimes called a 'dinner fork' fracture because it resembles the curve of a fork A.

Colles Wrist Fracture Symptoms

• History of falling onto an outstretched arm.
• Tenderness just behind the wrist.
• Bruising and swelling over the top of the wrist.
• Tented 'dinner fork' deformity of wrist.

Colles Wrist Fracture Treatment

Colles wrist fracture is treated by straightening the "dinner fork" bone deformity'. This is done in Emergency Departments after a confirmatory Colles Fracture Xray. The Emergency doctor with then put you into a deep sleep with an anesthetic. He will then pull on your hand and an assistant will pull in the other direction from your elbow until the wrist fracture snaps back into place. This correct orientation is kept in place with a back slab cast and a check Xray done prior to going home. Follow up will then be arranged at a fracture clinic and a full conical cast applied for a month. Rarely, surgery may be required to hold the fracture in place.

Doctor Secrets! "A Colles fracture is actually NOT a wrist fracture. It is a break in the forearm radial bone behind the wrist bones."

Itchy Cast Remedy

 

Print	Home
Doctor Secrets!