A wrist which remains painful or in which a fracture is still visible after 12 weeks implied impaired healing. Delayed union is recognised by bone resorption and cavitation around the fracture on the x-ray, and may be treated by bone grafting.
Persistence of the fracture after 6 months signifies non-union. Management then depends on the age of the patient and the associated symptoms.
Internal fixation and grafting may be indicated in younger patients.
Asymptomatic and older patients may be left untreated.
A painful non-union may be managed by periodic splintage of the wrist, although inconvenient to the patient; by excising the radial styloid to reduce stress on the scaphoid; or by arthrodesis to produce bony fusion of the wrist.
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