ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:Dorsal and volar plate fixation for distal radius fracture is a common fixation in the clinic. It is controversial whether complications after fixation have difference. OBJECTIVE: To compare the difference in complications folowing dorsal and volar plate fixation for distal radius fracture. METHODS:A computer-based search was performed on PubMed database for articles on controled trials of comparison between complications folowing dorsal and volar plate fixation for distal radius fractures published before August 25, 2012. Data were analyzed using STATA 11.0 software. Simultaneously, meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.2 software. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:A total of 12 studies (952 cases) of meta-analysis were accumulated. Sufficient evidence demonstrated that there was no statistic difference in the overal rate of complications after dorsal and volar plate fixation. However, compared with dorsal approach, neuropathy [relative risk (RR)=2.19, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.27-3.76,P < 0.05] and carpal tunnel syndrome [RR=4.56, 95%CI(1.02-20.44),P < 0.05] easily occurred after volar fixation, but tendon irritation seldom appeared [RR=0.38, 95%CI (0.17-0.86), P < 0.05]. Results indicated that compared with volar plate fixation, a low incidence of neuropathy and carpal tunnel syndrome, but a high risk of tendon irritation were found after dorsal approach. No significant difference in other complications was detected between volar and dorsal approaches.