A 28-year-old woman presents after a fall on an outstretched hand. X-ray reveals a Colles fracture. The classical deformity on clinical examination is best described as:

• A Garden spade deformity with palmar displacement and ulnar tilt
• B Bayonet deformity with lateral displacement only
• C Silver fork deformity with volar displacement of the distal fragment
• D Dinner fork deformity with dorsal displacement and radial tilt of the distal fragment ✓

Explanation

A Colles fracture (within 2.5 cm of the wrist) shows the classic dinner fork or silver fork deformity due to dorsal displacement, dorsal angulation (loss of palmar tilt), radial shift, and radial tilt of the distal fragment. There is also impaction and supination of the fragment. Smith's fracture, the reverse, gives palmar displacement.

Reference: Maheshwari Essential Orthopaedics, 6th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.