Anatomical and Functional Outcome of Conservative Treatment of Colles’ Fracture

Azeem Jamil, Saeed Ahmed Shaikh, Yahya Baloch,

Abstract

Objective

To determine the functional and anatomical outcome of non operative treatment of Colles’ fracture.

Study design

Cross sectional study.

Place & Duration of study

Department of Orthopaedics, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre Karachi, from December 2017 to June 2018.

Methodology

A prospective study was carried out on patients with fractures of the distal end of radius. Gartland and Werley scoring system were used to assess the functional outcome by the evaluation of pain, range of active motion, grip strength, and appearance of the wrist joint. Bunger et al scoring system was used to measure the anatomical outcome by evaluating the dorsiflexion angulation, loss of radial deviation, and loss of radial height. Final outcome was assessed at the end of 4 months.

Results

A total of 97 patients of either gender with age between 18 to 60 years meeting inclusion criteria of study were included. Average age of patient was 30.36±4.12 year. Majority of (n=67 - 69%) the patients were male. Mean duration of fracture was 3.86±1.23 days and most of the patients belong to duration of fracture less than 4 days (n=71 - 73.19%). Excellent functional and anatomical outcome was seen in 56 (58%) and 16 (16.5%) patients respectively. Excellent and good results were considered as satisfactory and noted in 90% and 66% functionally and anatomically respectively.

Conclusions

Conservative management of the Colles’ fracture in plaster cast is an effective treatment modality achieving satisfactory results both functionally and anatomically. Functional results were better than anatomical results.

Key words •

Functional outcome, Anatomical outcome Colles’ fracture. Plaster cast.