Background: The purpose of this study was to compare the stability of the 2.4 mm palmar locking compression plate (LCP) and a new intramedullary nail-plate-hybrid Targon DR (TDR) for dorsally comminuted distal radius fractures.

Methods: An extraarticular 10 mm dorsally open wedge osteotomy was created in 8 pairs of fresh frozen distal radii to simulate an AO-A3-fracture. The fractures were stabilized with one of the fixation constructs. The specimens were loaded axially with 200 N and dorsal-excentically with 150 N. Cyclic loading with 2000 cycles as well as loading to failure were performed under axial loading.

Results: Axial loading revealed that intramedullary osteosynthesis (Targon DR: 369N/mm) was significantly (p=0.017) stiffer than plate osteosynthesis (LCP: 131 N/mm). With 214 N/mm the intramedullary nail was also more stable during dorsal excentric loading than the LCP with 51 N/mm (p=0.012). After the 2000 cycles of axial loading with 150 N the Targon group was still significant stiffer than the LCP group under both loading patterns. Neither group showed a significant change in stiffness after the 2000 cycles. The Targon DR group even showed a slight increase with 435,22 N/mm (p = 0.161), while the LCP group showed a slight decrease with 122.24 N/mm (p = 0.575) during axial loading. Under dorsal excentric loading the Targon group was still significant stiffer with 212.46 N/mm than the LCP group with 44.96 N/mm (p=0.012). The load to failure tests demonstrated again the superiority of intramedullary nailing (625N) when compared to plate osteosynthesis (403N) (p< 0.025).

Conclusions: The study shows that both implants are able to withstand physiological loads occuring under unloaded wrist motion. Neither implant showed a significant loss of stability after 2000 cycles long-term loading. Intramedullary nailing with the Targon DR of a distal A3 radial fracture is biomechanically more stable than volar fixed angle plating with the 2.4 mm LCP under axial and dorsal-excentric loads in our experimental setup.