Fractures of the Forearm (BC)

Summary

This chapter from Attorneys' Textbook of Medicine covers fractures of the forearm, which involve a break in one or both of the long bones between the elbow and the wrist, known as the ulna and the radius. Forearm fractures can disrupt the articulation of the ulna and the radius at the proximal end, near the elbow, or the distal end, near the wrist, with the possible result of functional disability. The chapter first provides a detailed description of the anatomy of the forearm region and the classification of open and closed fractures. The chapter next discusses the causes and characteristics of forearm fractures and their diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, and complications. The chapter considers in turn isolated fractures of the ulna, including ulnar fractures with proximal radioulnar dislocation, and fractures of the radius, including radial fractures with distal radioulnar dislocation. In each section special attention is given to fractures in children. The chapter includes an ...