The importance of patient compliance in nonunion of forearm fracture

INTRODUCTION: Studies on radius ulna shaft fractures are very important. Surgical treatment is generally administered due to the unstability caused by the dynamic effect of forearm muscles. Surgical technique, implant, osteoporosis, patient compliance can affect the surgical treatment and healing. PRESENTATION OF CASE: An 86-year-old female patient was admitted to emergency service with the complaint of protrusion of forearm implant from the skin. Physical examination revealed that 80 nonunion developed on the radial side. Therefore, protruded and exposed internal fixation materials were excised under axillary block. We used zoledronic acid as a treatment of osteoporosis with the value of 3.2 Dexa score. DISCUSSION: Complication rate is reported to be 25% in patients treated with plate fixation. Patient compliance is very crucial in forearm fractures as in all surgical procedures. Presence of comorbidities and socioeconomical status of the patient are important factors in fracture healing. CONCLUSION: This case emphasizes the importance of compliance of the patient to the follow-up after surgical treatment of forearm fracture. (C) 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. on behalf of Surgical Associates Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license.