Sorry if this post is out of place, but I didn't see a med student forum. I have a question about the way Monteggia fractures are classified, particularly the angulation. If angulation is named based on the distal segment, then why is a Monteggia I considered anterior angulation, when the distal segment of the ulna is clearly angulated posteriorly? I've asked a few residents about this and they said it must assume the "anterior" and "posterior" terms refer to the apex, which makes sense. But then why not just say that? Every interpretation of every other type of fracture I've seen specifies whether or not the stated angulation is based on the apex or the distal segment. I've looked in Handbook of Fractures, Skeletal Trauma, Rockwood, Campbell's, and they all say the same thing. I don't have a problem remembering how to name these, I just want to make sure I understand why it's named the way it is so I don't stumble in a fracture conference.
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