Distal radius fractures: strategic alternatives to volar plate fixation.

Volar locking plates have provided surgeons with enhanced capability to reliably repair both simple and complex fractures and avoid the hardware-related complications associated with dorsal plating. However, there have been an increasing number of published reports on the frequency and types of complications and failures associated with volar locked plating of distal radius fractures. An informed, critical assessment of distal radius fracture characteristics will allow surgeons to select an individualized treatment strategy that maximizes the likelihood of a successful outcome. Knowledge of the anatomy, patterns, and characteristics of the diverse types of distal radius fractures and the complications and failures associated with volar locked plating will be helpful to orthopaedic surgeons who treat patients with these injuries.