Is Obesity a Risk Factor for Loss of Reduction in Children with Distal Radius Fractures Treated Conservatively?
Andrea Vescio,
Gianluca Testa,
Marco Sapienza,
Alessia Caldaci,
Marco Montemagno,
Antonio Andreacchio,
Federico Canavese,
Vito Pavone
Affiliations
Andrea Vescio
Department of General Surgery and Medical Surgical Specialties, Section of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University Hospital Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
Gianluca Testa
Department of General Surgery and Medical Surgical Specialties, Section of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University Hospital Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
Marco Sapienza
Department of General Surgery and Medical Surgical Specialties, Section of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University Hospital Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
Alessia Caldaci
Department of General Surgery and Medical Surgical Specialties, Section of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University Hospital Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
Marco Montemagno
Department of General Surgery and Medical Surgical Specialties, Section of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University Hospital Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
Antonio Andreacchio
Department of Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery, “V. Buzzi” Children Hospital, 20154 Milan, Italy
Federico Canavese
Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery Service, Hôpital Jeanne de Flandre, University of Lille, 59037 Lille, France
Vito Pavone
Department of General Surgery and Medical Surgical Specialties, Section of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University Hospital Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
Background: Obesity in children is a clinical and social burden. The distal radius (DR) is the most common site of fractures in childhood and conservative treatment is widely used. Loss of reduction (LOR) is the major casting complication. The aim of this study is to evaluate obesity as a risk factor for LOR in children with displaced DR fractures (DRF) treated conservatively. Methods: 189 children under 16 years of age were treated conservatively for DRF. Patients were divided into three groups: normal weight (NW), overweight (OW) and obese (OB). The following radiographic criteria were evaluated in all patients: amount of initial translation (IT); quality of initial reduction; Cast (CI), Padding (PI), Canterbury (CaI), Gap (GI) and Three-Points (3PI) indices and the presence of LOR. Results: Statistically significant differences were found between the NW and the OB group for number of LOR (p = 0.002), severity (grade) of initial translation (p = 0.008), quality of initial reduction (p = 0.01) as well as CsI and CaI (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Obese children have a significantly higher rate of LOR compared to NW and OW children. A close follow-up is necessary in this population of patients. Preventive percutaneous pinning could be considered in older obese patients in order to reduce the need for further treatment.
