Dorsal plate fixation for distal radius fractures

Abstract

Dorsal plate fixation is an important and useful treatment strategy for certain types of distal radius fractures. The use of dorsal plating has largely fallen out of favor due to the high rates of extensor tendon complications associated with first generation dorsal plates. Newer low-profile dorsal plates are associated with substantially fewer complications compared to their predecessors. Current clinical literature suggests that low-profile dorsal plates have excellent functional outcomes with low rates of tendon complications not only compared to traditional high-profile dorsal plates, but also when compared to volar plates. Dorsal plating provides certain advantages over volar plating, especially when dealing with depressed, highly comminuted fractures in osteoporotic bone or fractures with a dorsal shear component. Dorsal plating has excellent clinical outcomes in a wide variety of distal radius fractures, including those which can have high degrees of intra-articular and metaphyseal comminution.