Year: 2025 | Month: April | Volume: 12 | Issue: 4 | Pages: 350-356
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijrr.20250442
Chronic Galeazzi Fracture Treatment with Ulnar Shortening Osteotomy Methods: A Case Report
Eko Setiawan1,2, Achmad Fikri Al Habieb2, Alexis Fernando Pasaribu1, Bayu Pratama Putra Pribadi3, Fahrul Rozy2
1Department of Surgery, Division of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Riau, Pekanbaru, Indonesia
2Division of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Arifin Achmad General Hospital, Pekanbaru, Indonesia
3Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Andalas, Padang, Indonesia
Corresponding Author: Achmad Fikri Al Habieb
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Upper extremity fractures, especially Galeazzi fractures, are common problems. A Galeazzi fracture is a distal third-radius fracture with disruption of the Distal Radioulnar Joint (DRUJ), often caused by high-energy trauma. The clinical features of a Galeazzi fracture include pain, swelling, and deformity at the wrist, along with an inability to rotate the forearm. In this patient, the complication was more challenging to treat due to improper initial treatment, leading to a neglected fracture of the right wrist.
Case Presentation: A 26-year-old male, presented to the Trauma Center at a General Hospital. He complained of being unable to move his arm freely, difficulty rotating his distal forearm (supination and pronation), and diminished grip strength, symptoms he had experienced for 8 months. Despite these challenges, the patient was eager to undergo proper treatment to restore his activity and daily tasks to normal.
Clinical Discussion: Our surgical intervention, including ulnar shortening, transfixing wire placement, and bone grafting, led to a remarkably successful outcome. The patient showed improved pronation, supination, and grip strength, as evidenced by the DASH (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand) score. This outcome instills optimism for similar cases and reassures the effectiveness of our treatment.
Conclusion: The Darrach procedure, Sauve-Kapandji treatment, and ulnar shortening are among the sophisticated methods required for patients with malunion issues. Effective diagnostic and surgical techniques can significantly improve patient outcomes.
Keywords: Galeazzi Fracture, Malunion, Ulnar Shortening, Transfixing Wire, Case Report
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