Colles Fracture

Information and facts about Eponymous diseases.

A Colles' fracture is a fracture of the distal radius , most commonly caused by people falling forward onto a hard surface and breaking their fall with extended, outstretched hands - falling with wrists flexed would lead to a Smith's fracture . It usually occurs about an inch or two proximal to the radio-carpal joint with posterior and lateral displacement of the distal fragment resulting in the characteristic dinner fork like deformity.

It is named after Abraham Colles (1773-1843), an Irish surgeon who first described this in 1814 .

Treatment of this fracture depends on the severity of the fracture. An undisplaced fracture may be treated with a cast alone. A fracture with mild angulation and displacement may require closed reduction. Significant angulation and deformity may require an open reduction and internal fixation.

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