These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: A biomechanical comparison of volar locked plating of intra-articular distal radius fractures: use of 4 versus 7 screws for distal fixation.
    Author: Moss DP, Means KR, Parks BG, Forthman CL.
    Journal: J Hand Surg Am; 2011 Dec; 36(12):1907-11. PubMed ID: 22018475.
    Abstract:
    PURPOSE: To determine whether the number of distal locking screws significantly affects stability of a cadaveric simulated distal radius fracture fixed with a volar locking plate. METHODS: We created AO/ASIF type C2 fractures in 10 matched pairs of human fresh-frozen cadaveric wrists and then fixed them using volar locking plates. The number of distal locking screws used was 4 screws or 7 screws in each wrist of the matched pair. We loaded the stabilized fractures cyclically to simulate 6 weeks of postoperative stressing during a therapy protocol and then loaded them to failure. Failure was defined as 2 mm or more of displacement of any fracture fragment as recorded by differential variable reluctance transducers. RESULTS: No wrists failed during the cyclic loading portion for either the 4- or 7-screw construct. The average initial stiffness of the 7-screw construct was 69 N/mm (± 38) versus 48 N/mm (± 14) for the 4-screw construct. The average failure load for the 7-screw construct was 139 N (± 78) versus 108 N (± 18) for the 4-screw construct. Neither of these differences was statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Although there was a trend toward increased initial stiffness and higher failure load in fractures fixed distally with 7 locking screws, the results were not statistically significant compared with fractures fixed with only 4 screws. Both constructs can withstand forces likely encountered in early therapy protocols. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The use of extra distal locking screws when fixing distal radius fractures increases expense and may increase the risk of complications, such as extensor tendon irritation or rupture.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]