Dorsal spanning plate fixation for distal radius fractures.

In polytrauma patients, the presence of a multifragmentary distal radius fracture poses a challenge with respect to early mobilization. Dorsal spanning plate fixation is an alternative choice for these patients for providing definitive operative fixation of the distal radius fracture and for providing a construct to allow weight-bearing through the injured wrist for rehabilitative purposes. In this article, we describe the operative technique to place a dorsal spanning plate and provide a retrospective review of outcomes in polytrauma patients.