Volar Barton Fracture Treatment with T Plate Using Distal End Screws and Without Distal End Screws; A Comparative Study

Background: Volar Barton's fractures are the fracture of distal radius with intra-articular extension associated withdislocation and subluxation of radiocarpal joint requiring surgical treatment with volar plate to achieve anatomicalreduction.Objective: To compare Volar Barton's fracture treatment deploying T-buttress plate with and without distal end screws in terms of pain, activities, grip strength and functional outcome of hand and wrist.Methods: The patients were divided in two groups by using opaque sealed envelope method. All the findings of study variables such as age, gender, residence, height, weight, BMI, duration of fracture and functional outcome were noted in a predesigned Proforma.Results: Total of 68 patients (34 in each), mean age of the group with distal end screw was calculated as 41.44±6.01years and mean age of the group with distal end screw was 44.21±5.22 years. There were 25 males and 9 females in the group without distal end screw and 28 males and 6 females in the group with distal end screw. Green O Brein score was 88.94+ 7.26 in the group without distal end screw and 84.08+8.09 in the group with distal end screw. (p=0.011) Total of 68 patients (34 in each), 67.7 %(n=23) had excellent, 30.8 %(n=8) good, 50.0 %(n=2) fair and 25.0 %(n=1) had poor functional outcome in T-plate without distal end screw group, 32.4 %(n=11) had excellent, 69.2 %(n=18) good, 50.0%(n=2) fair and 75.0 %(n=3) had poor outcome and in T-plate with distal end screw group. (p=0.028)Conclusion: It was concluded form this study results that T-plate without distal end screw group can provide excellent results in treating volar Barton's fractures.