title: Efficacy of volar and dorsal plate fixation for unstable dorsal distal radius fractures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the efficacy of volar and dorsal plate fixation for unstable dorsal distal radius fractures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-seven cases were selected from patients undergoing surgical reduction and internal fixation treatment in our hospital from August 2006 to October 2010, with 21 males and 26 females, aged 39-73 years old. Patients were divided into two groups: volar plate fixation group (Group A) which has 32 cases, including 27 cases with locking plate, 5 cases with ordinary T plate, and 4 cases combined with dorsal Kirschner wire fixation; dorsal plate fixation group (Group B) which has 15 cases, including 7 cases with locking plate. The efficacy of the two fixation methods were compared in terms of postoperative wrist function, X-ray score, and postoperative complications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with those of preoperative groups, the volar tilt, ulnar deviation and radial styloid height in both group A and B were significantly improved one week after surgery as shown by X-ray imaging. Comparison of X-ray images one week after surgery with those of six months after surgery showed no significant changes in volar tilt, ulnar deviation or radial styloid height. 87.5% of patients in group A and 86.7% of patients in group B got "excellent" in their wrist function assessment, and there was no significant difference between the two groups (X(2)=0.825, P=1.000). But patients in group A hax significantly lower incidence rate of postoperative complications than group B (X(2)=4.150, P=0.042).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For unstable distal radius fractures with dorsal displacement, volar plate fixation can achieve satisfactory reduction results, and cause less tendon damage or other complications than dorsal plate fixation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Jiangyin Traditional Chinese Medical Hospital Jiangyin, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Chang-Hong
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Jiangyin Traditional Chinese Medical Hospital Jiangyin, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Rong-Kui
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Jiangyin Traditional Chinese Medical Hospital Jiangyin, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Hua-Qing
authors.initials: HQ
authors.lastname: Zhen
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Jiangyin Traditional Chinese Medical Hospital Jiangyin, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Jiangyin Traditional Chinese Medical Hospital Jiangyin, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Ya-Jun
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Jiao
keywords: Distal radius fracture; dorsal plate fixation; internal fixation; unstable; volar plate fixation