Barton's fracture | |
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A palmar Barton's fracture of the right wrist, as shown on a 3D-rendered CT scan | |
Specialty | Orthopedic |
A Barton's fracture is a type of wrist injury where there is a broken bone associated with a dislocated bone in the wrist, typically occurring after falling on top of a bent wrist.[1] It is an intra-articular fracture of the distal radius with dislocation of the radiocarpal joint.[2]
There exist two types of Barton's fracture – dorsal[3] and palmar, the latter being more common. The Barton's fracture is caused by a fall on an extended and pronated wrist increasing carpal compression force on the dorsal rim. Intra-articular component distinguishes this fracture from a Smith's or a Colles' fracture. Treatment of this fracture is usually done by open reduction and internal fixation with a plate and screws, but occasionally the fracture can be treated conservatively.[4]