Publication details

Treatment of extra-articular and simple articular distal radial fractures with intramedullary nail versus volar locking plate

Authors

SAFI Adel Mohammad Mahmoud HART Radek TEKNEDZJAN B. KOZAK T.

Year of publication 2013
Type Article in Periodical
Magazine / Source JOURNAL OF HAND SURGERY-EUROPEAN VOLUME
MU Faculty or unit

Faculty of Medicine

Citation
Doi http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1753193413478715
Field Traumatology and orthopaedic surgery
Keywords Distal radial fracture; intramedullary nail; volar locking plate
Attached files
Description The purpose of this prospective, randomized and blinded study was to compare the clinical outcomes of distal radial fractures treated with either an intramedullary nail or a volar locking plate. Sixty two patients were enrolled in the study and randomized to treatment with a MICRONAILTM (Group 1, 31 patients) or an adaptive plate (Group 2, 31 patients). Fracture types included were unstable extra-articular metaphyseal distal radial fractures and simple or multifragmentary sagittal articular distal radial fractures (AO classification types A2, A3, B1.1 and B1.2). All patients were evaluated at 6 weeks, 3 months and 12 months after surgery. Outcome measures included standard radiographic parameters, active wrist range of motion, the disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand (DASH) and Mayo wrist scores. We concluded that treatment of this subset of distal radius fractures with minimally invasive intramedullary nailing gives better clinical outcomes at 6 weeks after surgery than treatment with a volar locking plate. By 3 and 12 months following surgery, there are no significant differences in outcome between the two treatment methods. Disadvantages of the MICRONAIL fixation system include risk of injury to the superficial branch of the radial nerve and a narrower spectrum of indications than volar locking plates.

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