Among 125 patients with the Galeazzi-type fracture-dislocation of the
forearm, there were fourteen children and eighty-six adults with the
classic Galeazzi lesion, and twenty-five patients with a special type --
fracture of both bones and dislocation of the distal radio-ulnar joint.
Conservative management was successful only in children. In adults this
method resulted in failure in 80 per cent of cases. The results of
operative treatment were much better. The fracture fragments of the radius
and the dislocation of the radio-ulnar joint in this complex injury are
very unstable, especially in the lesion with fractures of the radius and
ulna, and it appears that rigid internal fixation is necessary for the
dislocation as well as the fracture. With combined fixation over half of
the results were excellent.