K-wire Fixation Supplemented with External Fixator Versus Volar Locked Plating for Unstable Fractures of the Distal Radius

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To campare the outcomes between K-wire fixation with supplementary external fixator and volar locking plate in the treatment of the unstable distal radius fracture. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed 26 unstable AO type C3 distal radius fracture retrospectively, treated from January 2004 to February 2009. They were divided into two groups; group I (14 cases of open reduction and K-wire fixation supplemented with a external fixator) and group II (12 cases of volar locked plating). Each group was statistically compared in terms of surgery time, the difference of radiologic reduction, and loss of reduction, range of motion (ROM) and Mayo wrist score. RESULTS: No statistical difference was found in terms of surgery time, radiologic reduction, and loss of reduction between two treatment groups. After 1 year of surgery, the Mayo wrist score of group I was 80.5 points, and group II was 80, which shows that both groups achieved fairly good score. Although group II gained a statistically significant improvement in the ROM of the wrist except pronation at postoperative three months, no statistical difference of ROM was found between two groups at postoperative 1 year. CONCLUSION: When it comes to the treatment for an unstable intra-articular distal radius fracture, clinical and radiological outcomes are comparable between the patients treated with K-wire fixation supplemented with a external fixator and those with a volar locking plate.