gms | German Medical Science

Objectives/Interrogation: We compared the isokinetic power between the patients who had pronator quadratus sparing and conventional technique done when they went through internal fixation using volar plate after distal radial fracture.

Methods: The subjects were the patients who had internal fixation using volar plate done for simple distal radial fracture in our hospital from January 2014 to January 2016 and whose follow-up was available more than at least 6 months. The subjects were 34 patients whose muscle power was measured 6 months after the surgery. 16 patients who had pronator quadratus sparing technique done were classified into group 1, while 12 patients who had pronator quadratus excised as the conventional way were classified into group 2. We compared pronation, supination, grip strength which were measured at the time of 6 months after the surgery of both affected and unaffected sides in the two groups, We measured isokinetic power to check muscle power. For statistical management and analysis, comparative analysis was done with independent T-test.

Results and Conclusions: The average follow-up period was 21±4.2 months and the average age was 47.3 in group 1 and 50.4 in group 2. The patients were composed of 13 males and 21 females. There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding follow-up period, age and sex. The mean peak torque of pronation power was 84.4% in group 1, compared to the unaffected side, and 73.5% in group 2. The mean peak torque of supination power was 91.7% in group 1, compared to the unaffected side, and 90.8% in group 2, which showed no significant difference between the two groups. Grip strength was 85.3% in group 1 and 81.3% in group 2, which showed no statistically significant difference. Using pronator quadratus sparing technique in internal fixation with volar plate after radial fracture is considered to be able to preserve pronation power.