title: Locking palmar plate fixation for dorsally displaced fractures of the distal radius: a preliminary report.
abstract: We reviewed a series of 62 consecutive patients with dorsally displaced fractures of the distal radius, including 20 extra-articular and 42 intra-articular fractures. All patients were treated with palmar locking plate systems at our institution between 2002 and 2006. After a minimum follow-up time of 12 weeks, the fractures had healed with satisfactory radiographic and functional results. According to the demerit point system of Gartland and Werley, 35 patients were rated excellent, 26 good, and one fair. In the good and fair groups, the demerit points were almost all for ulnar wrist pain. Our results suggest that palmar locking plate systems enable early functional mobilization with good reproducible radiographic and clinical outcomes. Since nine out of 62 patients had residual ulnar wrist pain at the final follow-up evaluation, further investigation of the pathogenesis of ulnar wrist pain is necessary to obtain better functional outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Niigata Hand Surgery Foundation, Niigata 950-8556, Japan. kmoriya@k8.dion.ne.jp
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Moriya
authors.forename: Hidehiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001860:Bone Plates; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000379:methods*; D017102:Fracture Healing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053401:Palmar Plate / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D011859:Radiography; D011885:Radius Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014954:Wrist Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D014955:Wrist Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult