Bridge plating in the setting of radiocarpal instability: Does distal fixation to the second or third metacarpal matter? A cadaveric study

Table 1 Differences in coronal alignment between distal fixation to the second and to the third metacarpal, measured in millimeters

Variable	Mean	Median	Maximum	Minimum	Range
Preoperative Gilula score	0.32	0.34	0.48	0.15	0.33
2M Gilula score	0.4	0.38	0.68	0.17	0.51
3M Gilula score	0.33	0.32	0.59	0.1	0.49
Preoperative Chamay score	0.27	0.28	0.32	0.21	0.11
2M Chamay score	0.28	0.28	0.33	0.26	0.07
3M Chamay score	0.27	0.27	0.34	0.19	0.15
Preoperative Bouman score	0.98	0.95	1.2	0.83	0.37
2M Bouman score	1.02	1.04	1.39	0.64	0.75
3M Bouman score	1.00	0.98	1.23	0.79	0.44

2M: Second metacarpal fixation technique; 3M: Third metacarpal fixation technique.

Table 2 Differences in coronal alignment before and after fixation to the second and third metacarpals (P values)

	Chamay	Gilula	Bouman
2M technique	0.199	0.065	0.462
3M technique	0.408	0.846	0.578

2M: Second metacarpal fixation technique; 3M: Third metacarpal fixation technique.