Screw placement is everything: Risk factors for loss of reduction with volar locking distal radius plates.

Aim: To determine factors correlated with postoperative radial shortening in patients with distal radius fractures treated with volar locking distal radius plates.

Methods: A total of 250 patients with a distal radius fracture stabilised with volar locking plates between January 2010 and December 2014 were included in a multicentre retrospective cohort study. We measured the distance of the distal locking screws to the joint line immediately postoperatively and then measured radial shortening after six to eight weeks using the change in ulnar variance.