A Comparative Study Of Functional Outcome Of Intra Articular Fracture Distal End Radius Treated With Variable Angle Locking Compression Plate Versus Fixed Angle Locking Compression Plate

Distal radius fractures are the most common fractures of upper limb presenting in the  emergency, compromising of more than 16% of all the fractures. Distal radial fractures have a bimodal type of age distribution with High-energy trauma contributing in younger and low energy trauma in Elderly population. Females are more liable to distal radius fractures when compared with males mainly because of more severe osteoporosis and a higher liability of elderly women to fall as compared to the age matched men.Consequently, a fracture of the distal  radius is typically the result of a fall on an outstretched hand in a post menopausal woman, where a functionally active person suffers a trauma on an osteoporotic bone. About 60 years ago, most distal radial fractures were treated conservatively with satisfactory results. Recently, it has been clinically proved that intra-articular step-off and radial shortening corrected by surgery have improved patient outcome.In general, anatomic reduction and stable fixation should be pursued in younger and high-demand elderly patients to initiate early mobilization. Undisplaced or reducible but stable extra and intra-articular fractures can also be treated with casting. Extra articular fractures that are irreducible, intra-articular fractures and fractures for demanding patients who require early mobilization, are commonly treated with plating (more often with Volar plating), intra medullary fixation, external fixation or pinning. Dorsal plating is rarely used due to complications like  extensor tendon rupture, tendinosis and  volar collapse.Close reduction and cast immobilization has been the principal mode of  management of distal radius fractures but it often lead  to  fracture malunion and subluxation/ dislocation of distal radio-ulnar joint, hence resulting in poor functional, radiographic and cosmetic  result.The residual deformity of wrist adversely affected wrist motion and hand function, there by interfering with the mechanical advantage of the extrinsic hand musculature.It also causes pain, limitation of forearm motion, and decreased grip strength as a result of arthrosis of the radiocarpal and distal radioulnar joints. Open reduction and volar plating was designed to ensure more consistent correction of the displacement, maintenance of reduction and to initiate early range of movement exercises. The purpose of  this study is to compare  functional and radiological outcomes of  variable angle locking compression to fixation strategies with fixed  angle volar locking compression plates.