• Ahmet Köse, Ali Aydın, Naci Ezirmik, and Ömer Selim Yıldırım.
• Department of Orthopedics, Erzurum Regional Training and Research Hospital, Erzurum-Turkey. kose.ahmet.46@hotmail.com.
• Ulus Travma Acil Cer. 2017 May 1; 23 (3): 235-244.

BackgroundWe compared the union and functional results of intramedullary nailing and open reduction internal fixation treatment applied to adults with a forearm diaphysis fracture (fracture of the radius and/or ulna).MethodsWe retrospectively examined 90 patients with completed skeletal maturation who were surgically treated for a forearm diaphyseal fracture. Patients with a Monteggia Galeazzi and ipsilateral upper extremity fracture and those with an open epiphyseal line, Type 3 open fracture, pathological fracture, or brain trauma were excluded from the study. Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) was applied to 42 patients (plate group), and intramedullary nailing was performed in 48 patients (intramedullary nailing group). Both treatment groups were compared with respect to time to union, joint range of motion, operating time, grip strength, Grace-Eversman criteria, and complications.ResultsThe mean operating time was 63.29 (range, 40-100) min in the plate group and 46.02 (range, 17-85) min in the intramedullary nailing group. The mean time to union was 13.19 (range, 10-20) and 10.85 (range, 8-20) weeks, respectively. While a statistically significant difference was determined between groups with respect to operating time and time to union, no difference was determined in the Grace-Eversman evaluation criteria, forearm supination, pronation degrees, and grip strength.ConclusionThe results of this study showed a significant difference in the intramedullary nailing treatment with respect to time to union, operating time, and amount of bleeding compared with the ORIF treatment. However, no difference was determined in the functional evaluation criteria. Thus, both treatment methods are acceptable in the treatment of forearm diaphyseal fractures in adults with skeletal maturation.

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