COMPARATIVE STUDY OF DISTAL RADIUS FRACTURE FIXATION WITH A VOLAR PLATE VERSUS KIRSCHNER WIRES.

INTRODUCTION

Distal radius fractures are the most common fractures of the human skeleton and can be surgically treated using Kirschner wires (K-wires) or a volar plate.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze and compare the post-surgical results of patients treated with K-wire and volar plate for distal radius fracture.

METHODS

Retrospective, quantitative study with medical records and postoperative evaluation questionnaires in ten patients divided into two groups: K-wire and volar plate. The study was conducted at the Hospital de Clínicas Dr. Radamés Nardini, Mauá - SP.

RESULTS

Distal radius fractures were more common in the dominant upper limb, with the volar plate group tending to be older. Volar plate patients had later procedures (median of 13 days), compared to 4 days for K-wire patients. Functional assessment showed better outcomes for the volar plate group, including grip strength. Dorsal flexion loss was 5.2% for K-wire and 21.8% for volar plate when compared to the contralateral limb (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Volar plate fixation showed reduced functional limitations, while K-wire fixation demonstrated a shorter time from trauma to surgery and better range of motion. The small sample size and lack of systematic allocation limit the validity of these results. Level of Evidence III; Retrospective comparative study.