Treatment of volar Barton's fractures: comparison between two common surgical techniques.
BACKGROUND
Volar Barton's fractures are not uncommon but more convincing treatment methods are still controversial. Currently, open reduction with buttress plating or closed reduction with external fixation and percutaneous Kirschner wire fixation have achieved most support.


METHODS
Twenty-three consecutive volar Barton's fractures treated with either open reduction and buttress plate fixation (12 cases) or closed reduction with external fixation and percutaneous Kirschner wire fixation (11 cases) were compared retrospectively. The fractures were followed-up for a mean of 30 months (range, 24-50 months).


RESULTS
All 23 fractures healed without major complications. The wrist function was satisfactory in all plating patients (12 out of 12) and nine out of 11 external fixation patients (p = 0.22).


CONCLUSIONS
Both the above mentioned surgical techniques give a high success rate. Despite the fact that each technique has advantages and disadvantages, the results from the plating treatment seem to be superior.
Dai
Ming-Hsun
MH
Department of Orthopedics, Da-Chien General Hospital, Miaoli, ROC.
Wu
Chi-Chuan
CC
Liu
Hsien-Tao
HT
Wang
I-Chun
IC
Yu
Chung-Ming
CM
Wang
Kun-Chung
KC
Chen
Chih-Hwa
CH
Jung
Chi-Hsiung
CH
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005592:Fracture Fixation / Q000379:methods*; D017102:Fracture Healing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011885:Radius Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies