Journal of Osteoporosis and Physical Activity
Open Access

Abstract

Surgery versus Conservative Treatment of Distal Radius Fracture in Patients Older Than 85 Years: A Retrospective Study in 94 Cases

Maxime Barat, Laurent Genser, Malek Tabbara and Damien Pourre

Background: Distal radius fractures are the most common fractures occurring in emergency. There’s no evidence for the superiority of one of the different treatment we can choose, particularly in old patients. The purpose of the present study was to determine if a surgical treatment for DRF in older than 85 is justified and to compare these results to a conservative treatment.

Methods: This is an observational retrospective study that included all patients older than 85 years diagnosed with distal radius fractures and hospitalized in our institution between January 1st, 2010 and June 30th 2013. Patients were divided in 2 groups. The main outcome was the functional result at the end of the patient’s follow up. It was measured objectively with wrist motility and subjectively with the common satisfaction of the patient and the surgeon. Secondary outcomes included hospitalization time, immobilization duration, rate and nature of complications, and the pain at the end of the follow up.

Results: 94 were included, 20 had a conservative treatment, 74 a surgical treatment. Groups were homogeneous at the admission. There were not statistically significant difference in the main outcome with the objective or the subjective evaluation (p=0.046; OR: 0.1729 CI-95% [0.0205; 1.2662]). Immobilization time was significantly longer in the surgical treatment group (42,4 vs. 35,7 days p: 0.045).

Conclusions: Conservative treatment is the best treatment for distal radius fractures in elderly.

Level of Evidence: Level III.