Factors affecting the redisplacement of the conservatively treated extra articular fractures of distal radius.

BACKGROUND

The objective of the study was to predict the amount of radiographic dorsal tilt angulation of extra articular fracture of distal radius with the size of dorsal cortical bone defect, radioulna index difference, age and gender of the patient.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

Sixty two patients with close fracture of Colles type were treated by close reduction and short arm cast. They were evaluated radiographically for initial dorsal tilt angulation, initial radioulna index, radioulna index after reduction, dorsal cortical defect after reduction and dorsal tilt angulation at the end of immobilization at 4 to 6 weeks. Using the method of multiple regression analysis, The author tried to construct the equation to predict quantitatively the changing amount of dorsal tilt angulation of extra articular fracture of distal radius from the independent variables of dorsal cortical bone defect size, radioulna index difference, age and gender of the patients.

RESULTS

The presence of dorsal cortical bone defect,age and sex of the patient were found to be the predictors of the increased dorsal tilt angulation of distal radius. For the estimation of dorsal tilt angulation, the correlation coefficient for dorsal cortical bone defect size was 0.177, for age was 0.201, and female gender was -8.206. The radioulna index difference was not found to have correlation with increased dorsal tilt angulation of distal radius.

CONCLUSION

The increased dorsal tilt angulation of extra articular fracture of distal radius at 4-6 week after reduction can be predicted from the initial data on size of dorsal cortical bone defect, age and gender of the patients. The radioulna index difference did not show the significant correlation with increased dorsal tilt angulation of extra articular fracture of distal radius treated conservatively.