Evaluation of Radiological Parameters in Elderly Patients Treated Conservatively for Distal Radius Fracture

Abstract

Aim: Distal radius fractures are one of the most common fractures in the elderly population. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the changes in radiological parameters in patients treated conservatively for distal radius fractures according to fracture types and age groups.Methods: Patients who received conservative treatment for distal radius fractures between 10 January 2015 and January 2019 were retrospectively screened. Fractures of the patients were divided according to the Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Osteosynthesefragen (AO) classification, and the patients were divided into two groups as under 75 years old and over 75 years old. Ulnar variance, radial inclination, and volar tilt values of the patients after fracture reduction and at the end of the treatment were examined and compared with each other.Results: Wrist radiographs of 232 patients were evaluated in the study. According to the AO classification, 151 patients had type A (A2:144, A3:7), 46 patients had type B (B1:6, B2:33, B3:7), and 35 patients had type C (C1:21, C2:10, C3:4) fractures. While there were 134 patients in the group under 75 years old, there were 98 patients in the patient group over 75 years old. Radiological parameters (except volar tilt in AO type C fractures) were found to be impaired according to the initial evaluation after treatment, regardless of the fracture type and age.Conclusion: It should be kept in mind that patients treated conservatively for distal radius fractures may impair the reduction quality of the patients, the accepted radiological parameters may deteriorate. In elderly patients, the deterioration in these parameters was independent of gender, the presence of ulnar fractures, and fracture classification.