Smith's fracture

This article is about the wrist fracture. For the vertebral fracture, see Smith fracture.
Smith's fracture
Other namesReverse Colles' fracture, Goyrand-Smith's
Smith's fracture
SpecialtyOrthopedics

A Smith's fracture, is a fracture of the distal radius.[1]

Although it can also be caused by a direct blow to the dorsal forearm[2] or by a fall with the wrist flexed, the most common mechanism of injury for Smith's fracture occurs in a palmar fall with the wrist joint slightly dorsiflexed.[3] Smith's fractures are less common than Colles' fractures.

The distal fracture fragment is displaced volarly (ventrally), as opposed to a Colles' fracture which the fragment is displaced dorsally. Depending on the severity of the impact, there may be one or many fragments and it may or may not involve the articular surface of the wrist joint.

  1. ^ Thomas CL (1993). Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary (18th ed.). F.A. Davis. ISBN 0-8036-0194-8.
  2. ^ Stead LG, Stead SM, Kaufman MS (2006). First Aid: Emergency Medicine (2nd ed.). McGraw-Hill. ISBN 0-07-144873-X.
  3. ^ Matsuura Y, et al. (2017). "Smith's fracture generally occurs after falling on the palm of the hand". Journal of Orthopaedic Research. 35 (11): 2435–2441. doi:10.1002/jor.23556. PMID 28262985. S2CID 23989625.