Comparative Analysis of the Complication Profile following Palmar Plating versus External Fixation

Background: Much attention has been given recently to the complication profile of volar plate fixation of distal radial fractures. The purpose of this investigation was to compare complication rates among patients with distal radial fractures treated with volar plating versus those treated with external fixation. Methods: Two parallel series of patients with comminuted intra-articular distal radius fractures were reviewed. 59 patients were treated with external fixation and 56 patients with volar plate fixation. Postoperative radiographs, range of motion, grip strength, DASH scores, and VAS pain questionnaires were analyzed, and complications were described. Results: The external fixation group had a significantly higher overall complication rate (p = 0.021) than the volar plate fixation group. In the volar plate group, there were more tendon complications and median nerve pathology. Radial shortening was greater in the external fixation group when compared to the volar plate fixation group. DASH scores and VAS scores were significantly higher in the external fixation group. Clinically, the patients in the volar plate fixation group had significantly greater arcs of motion in pronation-supination (p < 0.0001) and flexion-extension (p = 0.002) with a trend towards better grip strength (p = 0.0062). Conclusions: Volar plate fixation for fractures of the distal radius provides an overall decreased incidence of complications, significantly less radial shortening, and significantly greater postoperative wrist motion when compared to external fixation. Volar plate fixation is also associated with lower VAS scores when compared to external fixation as well as DASH scores that approach statistical significance. Level of evidence: III (retrospective comparative study).