title: Dorsal plating for comminuted intra-articular fractures of the distal end of the radius.
abstract: Forty-one dorsally displaced intra-articular fractures of the distal radius were treated by open reduction and internal fixation with the dorsal Symmetry plates. The average age at the time of the injury was 49 years. An average follow-up period was 15 months. The final radial length averaged 11 mm, radial inclination 23 degrees, volar tilt 7 degrees, ulnar variance 1.5 mm, and articular incongruity 0.3 mm. According to the Gartland and Werly scales, 36 fractures were excellent and five were good. However, ulnar variance increased more than 3 mm during follow-up in eight patients, and volar tilt increased more than 5 degrees during follow-up in ten patients. Use of dorsal Symmetry plate is effective for unstable comminuted intra-articular distal radius fractures, but severely comminuted fractures may possibly undergo re-displacement post-operatively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Dokkyo University School of Medicine, Tochigi 321-0293, Japan. osada@dokkyomed.ac.jp
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Osada
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tamai
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iwamoto
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saotome
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001860:Bone Plates; D005260:Female; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal; D018460:Fractures, Comminuted / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011859:Radiography; D011885:Radius Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome