Clinical Assessment after the Volar Locking Plate Removal of Distal Radius Fracture

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical outcomes after removing the volar locking plate for distal radius fracture. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed retrospectively the medical records of 34 patients, 36 cases after removing the plates among 150 patients, with 162 cases that underwent open reduction and internal fixation using the volar locking plate between January 2006 and May 2011. We performed preoperative and postoperative clinical assessments using the quick-disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand (Q-DASH), the visual analog scale (VAS) score, and the range of motion on wrist, grip and pinch power. RESULTS: The major reason for plate removal was the time to remove the plate according to the fracture union and the patient's demand without other specific complaints (28 cases). The mean preoperative VAS score was 1.78 and the mean postoperative VAS score 1.81 (p=0.64). The mean preoperative Q-DASH score was 30.02 and the mean postoperative Q-DASH score 38.46 (p<0.001). The mean preoperative grip and pinch power were 18.14 kg and 7.67 kg. The mean postoperative grip and pinch power were 15.27 kg and 6.94 kg (p=0.23). CONCLUSION: The removal of the volar locking plate for distal radius fracture should be decided by considering the patient's clinical and socioeconomic conditions carefully.

Dose Related Effect of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy in Lateral Epicondylitis / 대한스포츠의학회지

The aim of this study was to investigate the dose-related effects of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) on the lateral epicondylitis of the elbow. Between March 2005 and March 2008, 66 patients who had been treated with extracorporeal shock wave therapy due to lateral epicondylitis of elbow formed the subjects. The subjects were divided into the 1st, 2nd and the 3rd treatment group and evaluated the clinical outcomes by visual analog scale (VAS) and a simple elbow test (SET) at immediate treatment, posttreatment 6 and 12 months, retrospectively. Changes in VAS score between the 2nd and 3rd treatment group and between the 1st and 3rd treatment group showed significant difference only at posttreatment 1 month group (p=0.001, 0.2, 0.1), (p=0.03, 0.08, 0.3), but Visual Analog Scale score at posttreatment 1 month showed no difference within the groups (p=1.0, 0.2, 0.07). SET within and between the groups showed significant difference at posttreatment 6 and 12 months (p<0.05).