Alternative Treatments

Rozental, MD and Blazar, MD
Functional Outcome and Complications After Volar Plating for Dorsally Displaced Unstable Fractures of the Distal Radius.

Summary: Patients with unstable, dorsally displaced fractures of the distal radius treated with volar fixed-angle devices have good or excellent functional outcomes despite a high complication rate (22% including fracture collapse and hardware-related soft tissue irritation).
Journal of Hand Surgery. March 2006.


Chung, MD et al.
A Meta-Analysis of Outcomes of External Fixation Versus Plate Osteosynthesis for Unstable Distal Radius Fractures.

Summary: Forty-six articles reporting the outcomes of current internal and external fixation treatments for unstable distal radius fractures were statistically analyzed. The authors concluded they “did not detect clinically or statistically significant differences in pooled grip strength, wrist range of motion, radiographic alignment, pain and physician-rated outcomes.”
Journal of Hand Surgery. November 2005.