Evaluation and treatment of osetoporotic distal radius fracture in the elderly patient.

Overview

Distal radius fractures are an increasingly prevalent upper extremity injury, especially among elderly patients. While treatment guidelines for the acute bony injury have been well documented, treatment of the underlying metabolic bone disease has been less commonly discussed in the orthopedic literature. Distal radius fractures in the elderly patient should be considered a sentinel event for injuries associated with greater morbidity and mortality, such as hip fracture. Management of fracture-related factors, such as osteoporosis and increased fall risk following a distal radius fracture, may prevent the mortality and morbidity of future injuries. This review highlights both the fracture-specific and medical goals of treatment in the elderly patient with a distal radius fracture.