Number and Locations of Screw Fixation for Volar Fixed-Angle Plating of Distal Radius Fractures: Biomechanical Study

Purpose To compare the biomechanical properties of different numbers and locations of screws in a multidirectional volar fixed-angle plate in a distal radius osteotomy cadaver model. Methods We created an extra-articular fracture in 16 pairs of fresh-frozen human cadaver radiuses. The 32 specimens were randomized into 4 groups. All fractures were fixated with a multidirectional volar fixed-angle plate. We tested 4 different screw-placement options in the distal fragment. The distal fragment was fixed with 4 locking screws in the distal row of the plate in group a, and with 4 locking screws alternately in the distal and proximal rows in group b. In group c, 3 locking screws were used in the …