Volar Approach to Distal Radius Fractures

The current trend when fixing distal radius fractures is to use a volar approach and apply a volar locking plate. The volar approach offers a greater soft-tissue envelope resulting in less prominent hardware and less tendon irritation when compared with dorsal plating. This article will first review the relevant anatomy. Next, we will discuss surgical approaches. Two standard approaches are used to gain access to the volar aspect of the distal radius, namely, the flexor carpi radialis (FCR) and Henry's approach. We will also describe 2 additional techniques that can be helpful in certain situations.