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Early postoperative improvements in the QuickDASH score after distal radius fracture are related to the type of surgical treatment

  • Original Article • WRIST - FRACTURES
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European Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery & Traumatology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The goal of this prospective study was to evaluate the real-life experience of 52 patients and their recovery kinetics in the first 6 weeks after surgical treatment of distal radius fractures. The fractures were treated with either a fourth-generation volar locking plate (34 patients, mean age 67 years, range 54–82) or by percutaneous pinning (18 patients, mean age 56 years, range 43–69). These patients were evaluated every week for 6 weeks with the QuickDASH (QD) questionnaire. A lower QD score indicated that the patient’s physical function and symptoms had improved. At postoperative week 1, all the patients who had undergone percutaneous pinning had a QD of 80 (out of 100). One-third of patients who had undergone plate fixation had a QD of 80, while the remainder had a QD of 65. Out of all the patients who had a QD of 80 at postoperative week 1, the patients who had undergone plate fixation improved more quickly. After 6 weeks, the patients who had undergone plate fixation had a greater reduction in the QD (50 points) than the ones who had undergone pinning (30 points). Although the direct costs of locking plate fixation are 10 times higher than those of K-wire pinning, evidence suggests that these plates reduce the indirect costs. This study has shown that a patient’s recovery rate, day-to-day life and physical function are better over the first 6 weeks postsurgery when the distal radius fracture is fixed with a locking plate.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Joanne Archambault, PhD, for her editorial support during preparation of this manuscript.

Conflict of interest

Dr. Loisel reports that L. Obert is a consultant for FX Solution, Zimmer, SBI, Synthes & Depuy, Medartis, Evolutis, Biotech & wright, Argo. Every other author certifies that he has no commercial associations that might pose a conflict of interest in connection with the submitted article.

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The experiments conducted within comply with current French laws on the conduct of human clinical trials.

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Correspondence to François Loisel.

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Loisel, F., Bouilloux, X., Uhring, J. et al. Early postoperative improvements in the QuickDASH score after distal radius fracture are related to the type of surgical treatment. Eur J Orthop Surg Traumatol 25, 865–869 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00590-015-1626-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00590-015-1626-1

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