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Eponyms, whereas commonly used in hand surgery, are perhaps misused as often as they are used correctly. Many commonly used eponyms, such as Colles fracture, Barton fracture, Smith fracture, and Bennett fracture, were actually described decades before the development of radiographs. The goal of this article is to revisit the original descriptions of commonly used eponymous terms for distal radius and first metacarpal base fractures to provide clarity and enhance understanding of what these eponyms actually mean.

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The management of distal radius fractures has evolved over time from a largely nonoperative paradigm to a more commonly performed operative procedures today. Surgical trends have similarly developed, with dorsal plating falling out of favor due to complications involving extensor tendon pathology as well as due to the ubiquity of the volar plate along with the advent of locking plate technology. However, with the improvement in design of newer generation dorsal plates, this technique should be used in the appropriate clinical situation, including dorsal comminution and angulation with concomitant carpal pathology. Outcome data supports dorsal plating and has been shown to be comparable to that of volar plating, with some unique advantages. As such, the technique of dorsal plating should have a role in surgical management of these injuries.

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Diaphyseal fractures of the forearm have accompanied humanity throughout its history. Nonsurgical techniques dominated the treatment for centuries, and complications including nonunion and malunion were common. The 19th century featured the recognition of distinct injury patterns. With the development of anesthesia and antisepsis, the operative treatment became widespread. In 1878, Heine described fixation of the diaphyseal nonunion of the distal ulna using an intramedullary ivory peg. Parkhill reported on the application of external fixation for forearm fractures in 1897-1898. Hansmann published the case of plate osteosynthesis of an acute fracture of the radius in 1886. In 1913, Schöne published the technique of closed intramedullary fixation of diaphyseal fractures of the forearm using a silver wire. During the first 2 decades of the 20th century, plate osteosynthesis quickly spread across Europe and North America owing to the influence of Lambotte and Lane. After the World War II, plate osteosynthesis became the surgical treatment of choice for forearm diaphyseal fractures.

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An Essex-Lopresti injury is a fracture of the radial head with concomitant dislocation of the distal radioulnar joint and rupture of the interosseous membrane. Poor outcomes have been associated with this rare injury if the dislocation of the distal radioulnar joint is missed in the acute setting. This injury is named after the British orthopedic surgeon Peter Essex-Lopresti, who made a number of important observations about this injury in 1951. Peter Essex-Lopresti was a promising young surgeon, and his untimely death at the age of 35 brought an early end to a remarkable career. This article investigates the evolution of treatment for this injury and sheds light on the life of the surgeon for whom the injury is named.

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Distal radius fractures (DRFs) have been a common affliction for millennia, but their treatment is a more recent development resulting from human erudition. Although immobilization has served as the only available treatment for most of our history, many advances have been made in the management of DRFs over the last century as orthopedics has grown. Yet the topic remains hotly contested in the literature and, given the frequency of the injury, research continues to focus on it. This article traces the evolution of DRF treatment to provide a context for the future.

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Fracture of the shaft of the radius associated with a dislocation of the distal radioulnar joint is an uncommon injury. In 1934, Riccardo Galeazzi of Milan reported his experience with the management of 18 such cases before the Lombard Surgical Society and subsequently received the eponym for this injury. Galeazzi was one of Italy's pioneering orthopedic surgeons, with an extensive bibliography that included nearly 150 publications. This article examines the evolution of management of the Galeazzi fracture and sheds light on this notable physician's life.

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Robert William Smith is best known for the eponymous Smith's fracture. He also made other important contributions to medicine and medical education, publishing on topics ranging from arthritis to neuroma. He had a great interest in pathology and helped found the Pathological Society of Dublin. At the time of his death, he was the vice president of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. His contributions to the understanding of various pathologic conditions make him an important figure in medicine and in hand surgery.

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A review of the literature was performed to survey the history of the radial head prosthesis in traumatology. Radial head resection was the treatment of choice before Speed first reconstructed the radial head with a metal prosthesis. Over the years, the indication for the use of a radial head prosthesis changed from the prevention of heterotopic ossification to the prevention of proximal migration of the radius and instability of the elbow. Currently, the optimal indication for the use of radial head prostheses is a non-reconstructible radial head fracture with associated injuries that would leave the elbow, or forearm unstable if the radial head were resected.

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UNLABELLED: The treatment of fractures of the hand and wrist has evolved over the centuries from one of rest and immobilization to internal fixation and early motion. Although today's technology (anesthesia, antibiotics, metal implants) has allowed us more freedom in treating these injuries, a number of our patients continue to experience stiffness, nonunion, malunion, and chronic pain. We explore the techniques used to treat hand and wrist fractures throughout the centuries and determine what beneficial aspects of fracture care have been maintained and those that have changed as a result of new technology. We are now realizing that rigid immobilization of fractures at the expense of the soft tissues can be just as damaging as the ancient physician's techniques of prolonged immobilization with frequent dressing changes. New implants and lighter cast materials have allowed improved digital motion and early functional use of the extremity. This has become especially important in the treatment of the aging population, which demands improved function and a quicker return to activities. The optimal treatment of these fractures for each patient remains elusive, however, and there remains a tendency to rely on technology at the expense of sound clinical care. We must not loose sight of the goals of fracture treatment and should heed the lessons learned throughout centuries of treating these injuries. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V (expert opinion).

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The so-called " Pouteau-Colles" fracture was never specifically described by Pouteau. This surgeon from Lyons wrote a paper published in his posthumous works in 1783. The author was allowed access to an original edition of the paper at the "Ancienne Ecole de Médecine Navale de Rochefort". When reading this paper, it seems that Pouteau described a great variety of different kinds of forearm fractures. His original contribution was to define the mechanism of injury as occurring during a fall on the outstretched hand as opposed to direct injury. Pouteau presents a hypothetical muscular theory of fracture pattern etiology, but one that is useful in the understanding of the displacemnt of the bone fragments. He questions the principal role attributed to sprains and luxations at this time in the differential diagnosis of forearm injury. He described four clinical signs to diagnose, at a glance, which bone was injured, the site of the fracture, its displacements and mechanism of inury. Pouteau also presented a precise method of reduction and an original system of immobilisation, able to accomodate secondary displacements and avoid complications that were not fully recognised at that time, namely compartment syndrome and nosocomial infection. Pouteau simply concludes with a question concerning the future methods needed to reduce bony collapse and to fill the bone defects. In order to render special homage to this visionary surgeon, the author propose to attribute to the nosologic entity "fore-arm bone fractures" the qualificative of "Pouteau's fractures", or to associate to every fracture of the fore-arm described by any other author the name of the Lyons surgeon!

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Smith's and Barton's fractures are discussed in light of their original descriptions and current experience. Included here are excerpts from the original descriptions of Smith and Barton as well as the management of these two kinds of fracture.

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From the time of Hippocrates to the beginning of the nineteenth century, fractures of the distal end of the radius were mistaken for dislocations of the wrist. Clinical observations, anatomic dissections, and experiments on cadavers dispelled this error. It was not, however, until after the discovery of roentgenograms that the variety and complexity of these common injuries could be appreciated. From the large group of fractures of the distal end of the radius, three distinct varieties can be distinguished rather easily, and to them the eponyms of Colles (Pouteau-Colles), Smith, and Barton have been applied. The remainder, which consist of a substantial number, do not fit into any specific category and must be described individually.

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