Galeazzi Fractures

Excerpt

The forearm is an essential structure in the human body crucial for completing activities of daily living. It is designed to help maximize versatility by allowing pronation and supination of the hand. Forearm fractures can lead to significant short-term and long-term disability, mainly if treated incorrectly. Sir Astley Cooper first described this particular fracture in 1822, but it was not until 1934 that the eponym took hold when Riccardo Galeazzi presented the mechanism, incidence, and management of this injury. The Galeazzi fracture is a fracture of the middle to distal one-third of the radius associated with dislocation or subluxation of the distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ). Advances in radiography and fracture research have helped define, classify, and guide operative management. Galeazzi fractures remain difficult to diagnose clinically, and debilitating complications can occur if proper treatment is not started.