A comparative study of analysis of functional outcome of intra articular distal radius fractures treated with dynamic external fixator and locking compression plate.

AIM OF THE STUDY: To analyze and compare the role and effectiveness of Closed reduction and External fixation with dynamic wrist fixator and Open reduction and Internal fixation with volar locking compression plate of intra articular distal radius fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This comparative study is conducted in Govt. Kilpauk Medical College from March 2012 to December 2013. About 47 patients with intraarticular distal radius fractures were selected and randomly classified into two groups namely Ex Fix group and LCP group and treated with dynamic external fixator (penning type II) with or without supplementary techniques and volar locking compression plate respectively. 24 patients in Ex fix group and 23 patients in LCP group were treated among which 3 patients in Ex fix group and 2 patients in LCP group had lost follow up and so 21 patients in each group were analysed in the study. Average follow up is 12.84 months in Ex fix group and 11.26 months in LCP group. The results were analysed as functional outcome using Green and O’Brien score (modified by Cooney et al) and anatomical outcome using Lidstrom score. RESULTS: After proper analysis and doing statistical comparison, we got p- value of 0.568 for functional outcome and 0.468 for anatomical outcome which is considered insignificant. (significance of p value determined as