Osteoporotic distal radius curettage-filling with an injectable calcium phosphate cement. A cadaveric study

Osteoporotic distal radius fractures are a public health problem that medical osteoporosis treatment is unable to check. We have described a bone substitute method to improve mechanical properties in bone. Our current study aims at improving the technique by maximising the filling of the distal radius. Cavities were created by curettage in the distal radius using a styloid process approach in ten randomly selected wrists from the sample population of ten cadavers. All radii were injected percutaneously with calcium phosphate cement. Cement quantities injected were calculated and corrected for observed cement leakage. Our results show that distal radius curettage before cementoplasty can double the amount of calcium phosphate cement injected. Prevention of osteoporotic distal radius fractures by cementoplasty seems a promising technique. Slowly absorbed micro-porous biomaterial use is preferable in long-term preventive treatment. Nevertheless, in the future, this technique should apply in specific cases, such as medical osteoporosis treatment failure with contra-lateral wrist fracture. © Springer-Verlag 2004.