Factors Affecting the Redisplacement of the Conservatively Treated Extra Articular Fractures of Distal Radius
* Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Rajavithi Hospital, College of Medicine, Rangsit University, Bangkok, Thailand
Affiliation : Sukrom Cheecharern MD*
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.
Keywords : Colles fracture, Instability, Multiple regression
