Patients with Colles' fractures have serious complications more frequently
than is generally appreciated. A study of 565 fractures revealed 177 (31 per
cent) with such complications as persistent neuropathies of the median, ulnar,
or radial nerves (forty-five cases), radiocarpal or radio-ulnar arthrosis
(thirty-seven cases), and malposition-malunion (thirty cases). Other
complications included tendon ruptures (seven), unrecognized associated
injuries (twelve), Volkmann's ischemia (four cases), finger stiffness (nine
cases), and shoulder-hand syndrome (twenty cases). In many patients,
incomplete restoration of radial length or secondary loss of the reduction
position caused the complications.