gms | German Medical Science

Objectives/Interrogation: Even though the conservative treatment for distal radius fracture in the elderly is relatively commom, but which is hardly accepted in AO Type C. We treated AO type C distal radius fractures with volar locking plate and checked up clinical outcomes with considering patients daily motion returning time.

Methods: We treated total 118 cases of AO type C distal radius fractures with distal radius locking plates from 2011 t0 2017. Among those patients, 73 cases could be followed up more than 4 months; 12 cases of C1, 32 cases of C2, 29 case of C3. All patients treated with volar locking plate, and ulnar side fractures treated with fixation for only ulnar head and neck fracture, and ulnar distal shaft fracture. After surgical treatment, short arm splint period didn't exceed more than 3 weeks. The clinical results evaluated by radiologic profiles, VAS, and functional evaluation criteria.

Results and Conclusions: Ulnar side involvement rate, including styloid process fracture, head and neck fracture, and distal shaft fracture is 33.3% in C1, 72.3% in C2, 75% in C3. The functionally excellent results are 91.6% in C1, 96.8 % in C2, 68.9% in C3. The radiologic profile changes rate is 41.6% in C1, 28.1% in C2, 58.6% in C3, but the radiologic change rate reaching to malunion criteria is 0% in C1, 3.1% in C2, 13.8% in C3. The rate of daily motion returning within 6 weeks is 100% C1, 100% C2, and 86.2% in C3.

The early firm fixation method is beneficial for AO type C distal radius fractures in Elderly in viewpoints of early returning daily motion.