Home Management Versus Primary Care Physician Follow up in Children With Distal Radius Fractures: A Randomized Control Trial

Buckle fractures of the distal forearm that include the radius are the most common fracture in childhood, and the risk of this fracture occurring is about 1 in every 25 children.Despite the high frequency of this fracture, it is a very stable injury and thus can be safely treated with a removable wrist splint while the fracture heals. Furthermore, authors have concluded that since orthopedic intervention is exceedingly rare, this type of fracture may safely be followed by a primary care physician (PCP) or managed at home.

In Canada, about 50% of these injuries are routinely discharged from the ED for follow up with the PCP, instead of an orthopedic clinic. The investigators' work examined the management outcomes of 180 children with a distal radius buckle fractures who were treated in an ED with a removable splint, given anticipatory guidance, and advised to follow up in two weeks with their PCP. We demonstrated that PCP follow up was safe and effective, with about 90% of patients completing their care at the PCP without additional visits to an ED or orthopedic surgeon. All patients recovered as expected without complications. However, about 50% of these patients did not receive additional anticipatory guidance from their PCPs on duration of splint use or expected timing of return to usual activities at the PCP visit. Nevertheless, patients with and without this additional anticipatory guidance reported a similar duration of splint use and timing for return to usual activities, largely based on what was recommended at the ED visit. Since these injuries are inherently stable, carry an excellent prognosis, and are treated with a splint that can be removed at home in accordance with anticipatory guidance provided in the ED, it calls into question the need for any routine physician follow up of these common minor fractures.

If home management of distal radius buckle fracture after ED discharge demonstrated safety and effectiveness in a methodologically robust study, it would have clear advantages for patients and families, physicians, and the health care system. The frustrations of lengthy clinic visits and transport difficulties would be avoided. Parents would miss less time away from work or other priorities, and the patients themselves would not miss school. In medically under-serviced communities in particular, patients would avoid long travel distances to see a physician for this minor injury where physician intervention after the ED visit is rarely required. Furthermore, it will obviate the need to shift the care of these common minor fractures from the orthopedic surgeon to the PCP, relieving some pressure on health care practitioners and increase availability for other patients more in need of physician services. Importantly, the potential for reduced use of superfluous health care services for this common injury is also likely to result in health care cost savings.