Radiographic Evaluation of Patients Submitted to Percutaneous Fixation With Solid Screw for Distal Radius Fracture Treatment^*

Abstract

Objective

The present paper aims to present results from radiographic evaluations of patients with extra-articular distal radius fractures submitted to percutaneous fixation with a 3.5 mm solid screw.

Methods

Analytical, descriptive and retrospective case series of 16 patients with evaluation of the radiographic parameters.

Results

The average age of the study population was 46.5 years old (25–60 years old); 81.25% of the sample was female. The average time until surgery was 8.8 days (4–14 days). The mean preprocedural volar tilt was - 7.41° (−23.48°–5.29°, standard deviation [SD] ± 6.59°). The mean volar tilt immediately after surgery was 5.93° (SD ± 6.23°, p < 0.001). There was no statistical difference in volar tilt values after 6 months of follow-up. The mean preprocedural radial height was 4.13 mm (−7.8 mm–9.5 mm, SD ± 5.06 mm). There was a statistically significant increase at the immediate postoperative period to 10.04 mm (p = 0.002), and a significant reduction at 6 months to 9.55 mm (p = 0.012). The consolidation rate was 100% with the technique used, with a minimal complication rate. No patient had infection or required a reoperation.

Conclusion

The technique was effective for the treatment of distal radial extra-articular fractures at 6 months, with a low complication rate; radiographic parameters values were acceptable and close to the anatomical ones.

Keywords
radial fractures; minimally invasive surgical procedures; radiology