The “Chauffeur Fracture”: Historical Origins of an Often-Forgotten Eponym

Abstract

This article describes the origin of the term "chauffeur fracture" used to indicate an oblique fracture of the radial styloid process with extension into the wrist joint. This kind of fracture was originally described by the British surgeon Jonathan Hutchinson in 1866. The invention of the automobile increased the incidence of this fracture among chauffeurs and cabdrivers. Indeed, at the beginning of the 20th century, motor vehicles were started by means of a crank-handle connected to the engine, which needed to be turned vigorously clockwise by hand. If the motor started unexpectedly, the crank-handle could jerk back violently and thereby cause a wrist injury due to sudden hyperextension. We retrospectively reviewed the literature and historical articles to better define the historical origins of an often-forgotten eponym. In 1904, the French surgeon Just Lucas-Championnière first evidenced the occupational origin of this fracture, so introducing the term "chauffeur fracture" to identify this injury.

An Overview of the Named Wrist Fractures

“…British surgeon Jonathan Hutchinson first described this fracture in 1866. 11 This type of injury occurs from direct trauma, such as a blow to the back of the wrist or from forced dorsiflexion and abduction. The former mechanism led to the derivation of the name Chauffeur fracture because in the early 20th century a crank handle was connected to a car engine and it needed to be turned vigorously clockwise by hand to start the car.…”

“…This sudden hyperextension of the wrist would lead to the fracture. 11 It is interesting to note that the word chauffeur comes from the French word for "someone who warms" the car engine. 12 A PA radiograph is sufficient to determine the diagnosis, although lateral and oblique images are also helpful.…”

“…This results in the radial styloid being separated from the remainder of the radius (Figure 5). 11,12 The radiograph report should include several pertinent positive and negative findings. These include the orientation of the fracture relative to the radius shaft, the involvement of the articular surface relative to the scapholunate interval, the articular step-off and the gap distance, and the presence or absence of comminution.…”

An Overview of the Named Wrist Fractures

“…British surgeon Jonathan Hutchinson first described this fracture in 1866 11. This type of injury occurs from direct trauma, such as a blow to the back of the wrist or from forced dorsiflexion and abduction.…”

Epidemiology of distal radius fractures: a detailed survey on a large sample of patients in a suburban area

“…Little clarity emerges regarding the epidemiology of the fracture pattern [11] as DRFs are often identified with different eponyms, including Colles [12,13], Smith [14], Barton [15], and Hutchinson fracture [16], instead of using a standardized classification system [7,17], leading to uncertain clinical and radiological outcomes after both nonoperative and surgical treatments [18][19][20].…”