AB152. SOH25_AB_378. Patient functional outcomes following delayed corrective procedures for distal radius fractures: a case series
Orthopaedic Session II

AB152. SOH25_AB_378. Patient functional outcomes following delayed corrective procedures for distal radius fractures: a case series

Emma O’Farrell, Aaron O’Mahony, Johan van der Stok

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University Hospital Limerick, Limerick, Ireland

Background: Distal radius fractures (DRFs) are a common orthopaedic injury. The surgical management for DRF has increased worldwide, however, the optimal management strategy remains controversial. This case series aims to assess the functional outcomes of patients who were treated conservatively at presentation but subsequently underwent a delayed corrective procedure. We aim to assess how this delay to definitive surgery can negatively affect patient outcomes.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective audit on patients with DRFs who were treated at the University Hospital Limerick Trauma Unit in 2023–2024. We identified patients who required a delayed, corrective procedure for their DRF, following unsatisfactory results after initial management. We used a patient-reported questionnaire to assess their functional outcomes post-operatively.

Results: A total of 12 patients reached the inclusion criteria for this study. All patients sustained a DRF and underwent a delayed definitive surgery. The delay to surgery ranged from 3 to 15 months in our cohort. The most common reasons for surgery were malunion, which was treated with corrective osteotomy and plate fixation, and carpal tunnel syndrome, treated with carpal tunnel decompression. Other revision procedures performed included transposition of the extensor indicis proprius (EIP) to extensor pollicis longus (EPL) tendon transfer, lexor pollicis longus (FPL) tenolysis, and radiocarpal fusion. Current preliminary data has demonstrated sub-optimal functional outcomes, with a number of patients experiencing ongoing issues and complications such as complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS).

Conclusions: DRF have a significant impact on quality of life. The goal of treatment for DRFs is the restoration and return to normal daily occupations. This study aims to highlight the post-operative course following delayed surgery.

Keywords: Delayed; fracture; function; radius; case series

Acknowledgments

None.

Footnote

Funding: None.

Conflicts of Interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Ethical Statement: The authors are accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

Open Access Statement: This is an Open Access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), which permits the non-commercial replication and distribution of the article with the strict proviso that no changes or edits are made and the original work is properly cited (including links to both the formal publication through the relevant DOI and the license). See: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/.

doi: 10.21037/map-25-ab152
Cite this abstract as: O’Farrell E, O’Mahony A, van der Stok J. AB152. SOH25_AB_378. Patient functional outcomes following delayed corrective procedures for distal radius fractures: a case series. Mesentery Peritoneum 2025;9:AB152.

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