A clinical, pathological, and experimental study of fracture of the lower end of the radius : with displacement of the carpal fragment toward the flexor or anterior surface of the wrist / by John B. Roberts.

  • Roberts, John B. (John Bingham), 1852-1924.
Date:
1897
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A clinical, pathological, and experimental study of fracture of the lower end of the radius : with displacement of the carpal fragment toward the flexor or anterior surface of the wrist / by John B. Roberts. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by UCL Library Services. The original may be consulted at UCL (University College London)

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    side of the base of the metacarpal bone of the index finger to the middle of the base of the metacarpal bone of the ring finger, with three portions of bone torn obliquely from the articular and dorsal surfaces of the unciform, os magnum, and index. Experiment 4. J^racture of a carpal bone by exlreme flexion of the wrist.—The amputated forearm and hand of a cadaver were laid upon their dorsal surface on the floor and the hand grasped by two men, who forcibly flexed the wrist by throwing their weight forward. A fracture occurred in one of the carpal bones. Examination made without dissecting the tissues thoroughly seemed to show that the broken bone was the os magnum. Experiment 5. Fracture caused by extreme flexion of wrist after partial osteotomy.—The dorsal wall of the radius in a cadaver was weakened by being cut transversely a short distance above the lower end by an osteotome directed a little upward. The forearm of the cadaver was then placed vertically, with the elbow resting on the table, the wrist flexed, and a heavy blow struck on the back of the hand so as to suddenly cause extreme flexion. Fracture occurred at the line of osteotomy. Previous attempts to fracture the carpal bones or radius by similar blows had failed. Experiment 6. Fracture of styloid process due to extreme flexion after partial osteotomy.—The right radius of an adult female cadaver was subjected to osteotomy of the dorsal wall at the base of the styloid process. The plane of the osseous incision was directed upward and forward. A blow on the back of the flexed hand while the forearm was held vertically with the elbow on the table completed the fracture through the styloid process, though previous blows similarly applied failed to break either radius or carpal bones. The soft tissues were disturbed as little as possible before the experiment. Experiment 7. Transverse fracture due to extreme flexion after partial cuneiform osteotojny on palmar surface.—The left radius of the subject used in Experiment 6 was carefully uncovered and weakened by cutting a transverse wedge-shaped groove in the compact wall of the palmar surface at the most prominent part of its concavity. The base of the wedge of the bone removed was about one-eighth of an inch in width, and extended across the radius. A moderate blow upon the back of the flexed hand while the forearm was held vertically easily fractured the radius at the point where the compact tissue had been removed.