SURGICAL TREATMENT

INDICATIONS
The 2009 AAOS CPG
with moderate strength, surgical
fixation of fractures be performed
when postreduction radial shortening
is 3 mm, dorsal tilt is 10, or intraarticular displacement or step-off is 2
mm.

Patiens 55 years, there are no

difference between casting and
surgical fixation.

A 2011 Austrian study

functional outcomes are similar for
surgical fixation and nonsurgical
treatment in patients 65 years.

Surgical group had better grip strength

at all time points and better
radiographic parameters.
Nonsurgical group had increased
deformity of the affected wrist.

Carpal Tunnel Release

Some evidence exists in the literature to suggest that release of the carpal
canal is beneficial in patients with symptoms.

The 2009 AAOS CPG indicated that inconclusive evidence exists to suggest
nerve decompression be performed when nerve dysfunction persists after
reduction.

Type of Fixation
Percutaneous Pinning
Kapandji
uses dorsal and radial pins for reduction and fixation of extra-articular
distal radius fractures (Figure 6).

The 2009 AAOS CPG

insufficient evidence exists to determine whether using two or three Kwires is optimal

Rosenthal and Chung

pinning provided better maintenance of volar tilt 3 months
postoperatively.

Type of Fixation
External Fixation: Bridging and Nonbridging
McQueen
ROM, grip strength, volar tilt, and carpal alignment were
superior in the nonbridging group.
a 2008 meta-analysis review of nine trials
did not demonstrate sufficient evidence to determine the
relative effectiveness of different methods of external fixation.

the type of external fixation,

a retrospective study of 26 patients
fixation
of distalradius
fractures
the use of External
additional
K-wires
some distraction
of themay
carpusbe
at the initial fracture was
correlatedjoint
with improved
clinical results.
accomplished via a radiocarpal
spanning
with external fixation,
or radiocarpal joint free (nonbridging)
the amount of(bridging)
wrist distraction,
the duration ofconstruct.
fixation,
the indications for external
A meta-analysis of 46 articles on external and internal fixation of
the distal radius was reported in 2005.
fixation.
No statistically significant difference between external and
internal fixation was identified.
A higher rate of infection, hardware failure, and neuritis were
identified in the external fixation group.
Higher rates of tendon complications and early hardware
removal were identified in the internal fixation group.

Type of Fixation
Open Reduction and Internal Fixation
Wright et al
Improved postoperative intra-articular step-off, volar tilt, radial length, and
ROM in the ORIF group
PRWE and DASH scores were equivalent.
Arora at al
Current literature validates the use of locked volar plating to
The surgical group had improved DASH and PRWE scores at early follow-up,.
treat comminuted
intra-articular
distal
radius fractures.
Radiographically,
the surgical group
had achieved
appropriate
reduction on all fractures.
Grip strength was higher in the surgical group at all time points.
A 100% malunion rate occurred in the nonsurgical group.

Konrath and Bahler

Reliable and anatomic reduction with high patient satisfaction was seen at 2to 3-year follow-up.