{Reference Type}: Journal Article
{Title}: Low Rates of Hardware Removal and Tendon Rupture for the Acu-Loc 2 Volar Distal Radius Plate: A Minimum One-Year Follow-Up Study.
{Author}: Bharadwaj A;Yogarajah N;Wignadasan W;Davy A;Hunter AR;
{Journal}: Cureus
{Volume}: 16
{Issue}: 6
{Year}: 2024 Jun
暂无{DOI}: 10.7759/cureus.62165
{Abstract}: <B>OBJECTIVE: </B>Volar locking plates designed for far distal radius fracture fixation can have a significant hardware removal rate and risk of tendon rupture. Plate design has a role in the rate of complications. This study assessed the hardware removal and tendon rupture rate of the Acu-Loc 2 volar distal radius (VDR) plate often used in the treatment of far distal radial fractures.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>We searched our electronic healthcare records system for all patients who had undergone fixation with an Acu-Loc 2 VDR plate (Acumed, Hillsboro, OR, USA) at a tertiary center between January 2017 and December 2021. Patients were excluded if their follow-up time was less than one year or if they could not be contacted by telephone follow-up. Pre-operative radiographs were examined for fracture classification. Follow-up time was defined as the last contact in the clinic or by telephone.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>A total of 92 patients underwent an open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) with an Acu-Loc 2 VDR plate. A total of 85 patients met the inclusion criteria for this study. Our cohort included 33 males (38.8%) and 52 females (61.2%). The mean age was 50 years. Twenty-seven fractures (31.0%) were extra-articular, and 60 fractures (69.0%) were intra-articular. The mean follow-up time for the patients was 593.3 days (range 369 to 1185 days). Four patients (4.7%) had their hardware removed. Three (3.5%) patients underwent removal due to tendon irritation and one patient (1.2%) due to a peri-prosthetic fracture around the plate. There were no tendon ruptures recorded.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>The Acu-Loc 2 VDR plate had a low medium-term hardware removal rate and no tendon ruptures. These rates are lower than would be expected when compared with other far distal plate designs.