Smith's fracture
Background
- Volar angulated fracture ("reverse Colles fracture" or "garden-spade deformity")
Clinical Features
- Mechanism: fall onto the dorsum of the hand with wrist in flexion, or direct blow to dorsum of hand/wrist[1]
- Wrist pain
Differential Diagnosis
Distal radius fractures
- Colles' fracture
- Smith's fracture
- Barton's fracture
- Radial styloid fracture
- Distal radioulnar joint disruption
Distal radius fracture eponyms
| Eponyms | Description |
| Barton's | Fracture-dislocation of radiocarpal joint (with intra-articular fracture involving the volar or dorsal lip) |
| Chauffer's | Fracture of radial styloid |
| Colles' | Dorsally displaced, extra-articular fracture |
| Die-punch | Depressed fracture of the lunate fossa (articular surface) |
| Smith's | Volar displaced, extra-articular fracture |
Evaluation
- X-ray forearm/wrist
Management
- Sugar tong splint in supination[1]
- Similar to Colles' fracture
- Typically unstable and requires surgical fixation
Disposition
- Outpatient