Fragment-Specific Fixation of Distal Radius Fractures Using the Trimed Device

Abstract

Fragment-specific fixation of the distal radius represents a new technique for addressing complex distal radius fractures. It signifies a substantial shift in the thought process of open reduction and internal fixation; each fracture fragment is addressed independently with small plates or wire forms, allowing comminuted fractures to be anatomically restored and early motion started. Although the system is at first daunting, its modularity provides flexibility for the surgeon to modify the fixation to the individual needs of the patient's specific fracture pattern and the surgeon's level of expertise. Once the technique has been learned, the surgeon will have in his or her armamentarium a powerful new tool to treat fractures that had before been difficult to address satisfactorily with conventional techniques.