Minifragment plating for fractures of the distal radius

Twelve patients with fracture of the distal radius were treated by open reduction and internal fixation with titanium minifragment plates. There were 8 women and 3 men, with a mean age of 42 years. The mean follow-up was 18 months. According to the score of Gartland and Werley, 11 patients had an excellent result and one patient had a good result. All patients reported no pain in their activities of daily living and were satisfied with the result. All workers returned to work. One patient developed reflex sympathetic dystrophy which resolved with treatment. No patients needed plate removal because of irritation of the tendons. The results obtained with this technique appear promising, although more cases are needed to achieve a definitive conclusion.