Intra-articular malunion after a distal radius fracture
can be debilitating. The diagnosis is often elusive
and patients may arrive in your office in a delayed
fashion. Unfortunately, during the delay, irreversible
damage to the cartilaginous surfaces may occur.1–3
Patients are often diagnosed with complex regional
pain syndrome, as there is chronic pain after the
distal radius fracture that is in fact a malunion and
being missed. This is unfortunate because the malunion,
when diagnosed early, can be successfully
treated and panarthrodesis can be avoided.