A Biomechanical Comparison of Volar Locked Plating of Intra-Articular Distal Radius Fractures: Use of 4 Versus 7 Screws for Distal Fixation

Dorsal Screw Penetration With the Use of Volar Plating of Distal Radius Fractures

“…Previous research has demonstrated no significant difference between stiffness and failure load of 4 screws or 7 screws in volar-locked plating in an intraarticular distal radius fracture model. 27 …”

Radiographic Alignment of Unstable Distal Radius Fractures Fixed With 1 or 2 Rows of Screws in Volar Locking Plates

“…4 Biomechanical studies confirmed that 7 screws (2 rows) are stronger than 4 (1 row) in human cadavers. 5,6 Our null hypothesis was that there is no difference in the change in volar tilt of the articular surface on a lateral radiograph between radiographs obtained before suture removal and 3 months or more after fixation of a fracture of the distal radius with a volar locked plate when 1 or 2 rows of screws are used. This would, therefore, suggest that the risk of malunion is not greater with the use of a single row of screws compared to 2 rows of screws.…”

Can the Use of Variable-Angle Volar Locking Plates Compensate for Suboptimal Plate Positioning in Unstable Distal Radius Fractures? A Biomechanical Study

“…Numerous biomechanical studies have analyzed VLPs: comparing fixed-angle with variable-angle screws, 28 intraarticular 10,12,13,15,17,28 and extraarticular fractures, 16,29,30 number of distal screws, 12,13,29,30 screw diameter, 10 and influence of plate positioning on construct stability. 16 The present study adds to this body of evidence by evaluating the biomechanical strength of variable-angle plates at different positions of a complex distal radius fracture.…”

“…3,[7][8][9] Recent studies have called into question the merits of using numerous distal locking screws [10][11][12] and questioned the advantage of variable-angle plating [13][14][15] in complex distal radius fractures. 3,[7][8][9] Recent studies have called into question the merits of using numerous distal locking screws [10][11][12] and questioned the advantage of variable-angle plating [13][14][15] in complex distal radius fractures.…”