differential diagnosis

Last reviewed 01/2018

It is important to exclude a Galeazzi fracture in patients with a suspected Colles' fracture as the former requires internal fixation.

Colles' fracture does not occur in children. A more likely explanation of a 'dinner fork' deformity in such patients would be be a greenstick fracture of the distal radius or a fracture separation of the radial epiphysis.