Acu-Loc 2 Wrist Plating System Study Guide

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering anatomical terminology, fracture definitions, surgical concepts, implants, and instrumentation for the Acu-Loc 2 Wrist Plating System.

Distal radius

The wrist end of the forearm bone located on the thumb side.

Volar (palmar)

The palm side of the hand and forearm, often remembered as the fingerprint side.

Dorsal

The back-of-hand side of the wrist and forearm, characterized by the knuckles and fingernails.

Radial

Directional term meaning toward the thumb side, where the radius is situated.

Ulnar

Directional term meaning toward the pinky side, where the ulna is situated.

Distal

Directional term meaning toward the fingers or at the wrist end of the forearm.

Proximal

Directional term meaning toward the elbow or farther up the arm.

Radial styloid

The prominent bony bump on the thumb side of the wrist that forms the tip of the radius.

Lunate facet

The articular surface on the pinky side of the radius where the lunate carpal bone sits.

Sigmoid notch / DRUJ

The notch where the radius articulates with the ulna (distal radioulnar joint), which screws must avoid penetrating.

Metacarpals

The long hand bones; in bridge plating, the wrist spanning plate anchors distally to the 2nd or 3rd metacarpal.

VDR

Volar Distal Radius; a plate applied to the palm side of the wrist end of the radius.

DRFS

Distal Radius Fragment Specific; small modular plates engineered to individually secure specific fractured bone fragments.

ORIF

Open reduction internal fixation; a surgical procedure where the skin is opened, bone fragments are realigned, and hardware is placed to stabilize them.

Reduction

The surgical realignment of broken bone pieces back into their correct anatomical position.

Intra-articular fracture

A fracture where the break extends directly into the cartilage-covered joint surface.

Extra-articular fracture

A simpler fracture pattern that stays completely outside the joint surface.

Articular surface

The smooth, cartilage-covered surface of a bone that forms a mobile joint.

Comminuted fracture

A fracture pattern where the bone is shattered or broken into multiple smaller pieces.

Subchondral support

The placement of screws directly beneath the articular surface to mechanically support it and prevent articular collapse.

Marginal rim fracture

A small bone piece chipped off the peripheral margin or rim of the joint.

Three-column theory

An anatomical model that divides the distal wrist into radial, intermediate, and ulnar columns.

K-wire

A thin metal pin drilled into bone to provide provisional (temporary) fixation of fragments and plates.

Provisional fixation

Temporarily holding bone fragments and implants in alignment before the placement of definitive screws.

Fluoroscopy

Real-time intraoperative X-ray imaging used in the operating room to assess implant and screw positions.

Locking screw

A screw whose threaded head locks rigidly into the plate hole, creating a fixed-angle construct.

Variable angle locking screw

A locking screw capable of being angled off-axis (up to $15^\circ$) to capture specific or non-standard bone fragments.

Ligamentotaxis

The technique of applying longitudinal traction across a joint so intact surrounding ligaments pull bone fragments back into reduction.

Osteotomy

The intentional surgical cutting and resetting of a bone, typically performed to correct a malunion.

Malunion

A complication where a fractured bone heals in an abnormal or improper anatomical position.

Nonunion

A complication where a fractured bone fails to heal together.

Fusion (arthrodesis)

A surgical procedure that permanently joins articulating bones together, eliminating joint motion.

Standard VDR

The default silver plate for distal radius fractures sitting near the joint, equipped with a distal subchondral screw row, two styloid screws, suture holes, and K-wire holes.

Proximal VDR

A gold-colored plate positioned slightly farther proximal along the bone for shaft-extending fractures and osteotomies; its distal holes accept $2.3\,\text{mm}$ variable angle screws.

Extension Plates

Plates that lock onto long or wide VDR plates via a link screw to span diaphyseal shaft extensions up to $176\,\text{mm}$, contoured to match the radial bow.

Divergent Radial Styloid Plate

A DRFS plate that supports the radial column with screw trajectories designed to diverge away from the DRUJ.

Dorsal Lunate Plate

A DRFS plate placed through a smaller incision on the dorsal aspect to buttress the lunate facet and sigmoid notch.

Dorsal Rim Buttress Plate

A DRFS plate engineered to buttress and support displaced fragments of the dorsal lip along the back edge of the joint.

Volar Lunate Suture Plate

A DRFS plate dedicated to stabilizing the volar ulnar corner that includes suture eyelets to secure tiny marginal fragments.

Avulsion Hook Plate

An optional $0.8\,\text{mm}$ thick implant used alongside a Standard VDR to grip marginal rim fragments too small for conventional screws.

Wrist Spanning Plate

A bridge plate that runs from the radius to the 2nd or 3rd metacarpal to stabilize shattered wrists under distraction via ligamentotaxis.

Frag-Loc Compression Screw

Acumed's signature two-part screw that reduces dorsal fragments toward a volar plate, eliminating the need for a secondary full dorsal exposure.

Kickstand posts

Surgical instruments used to assist distal-first reduction and facilitate corrective osteotomies.

Targeting guide

An instrument with radiopaque markings that projects intended screw trajectories under fluoroscopy prior to drilling.