A comparison of two immobilization methods in the conservative treatment of pediatric distal forearm fractures: Long arm cast versus single sugar-tong splint

Ali Engin Daştan; Arman Vahabi; Omar Aljasim; Bünyamin Kılıçlı; Levent Küçük; Erhan Coşkunol

doi:10.52312/jdrs.2023.981

Ali Engin Daştan¹, Arman Vahabi¹, Omar Aljasim², Bünyamin Kılıçlı¹, Levent Küçük³, Erhan Coşkunol¹

¹Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Medicine Faculty of Ege University, Izmir, Türkiye
²Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Medical Park Gebze Hospital, Izmit, Türkiye
³Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Medicana International Hospital, Izmir, Türkiye

Keywords: Long arm cast, pediatric distal forearm fracture, sugar-tong splint.

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the results of single sugar-tong splint (SSTS) and long arm cast (LAC) as an immobilization method in pediatric distal forearm fractures.

Patients and methods: Between January 2016 and December 2019, a total of 186 pediatric patients (143 males, 43 females; mean age: 10.3±3 years; range, 4 to 15 years) with distal forearm fractures were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups according to the immobilization method: SSTS group (n=74) and LAC group (n=112). All patients were evaluated at the time of admission, immediately after the reduction, and at one, two, and four weeks. Sagittal and coronal plane angulations and translation percentages of the radius at each visit were calculated. Alterations in coronal angle, sagittal angle, sagittal translation and coronal translation were calculated by subtracting the measurements after reduction from the measurements at four weeks.

Results: Both groups were comparable in terms of demographic characteristics, fracture localization, and side of injured extremity. There was a statistically significant difference only in the sagittal angulations in the first (LAC: 4.7; SSTS: 6.5; p=0.009) and second week (LAC: 5.3; SSTS: 6.8; p=0.024). The rest of radiological measurements were comparable. In the LAC group, seven patients had re-intervention (three manipulations, four surgeries) and in the SSTS group, three patients had re-intervention (two manipulations, one surgery) (p=0.657).

Conclusion: Our study results suggest that SSTS and LAC are comparable in terms of radiological results and need for re-intervention as an immobilization method of pediatric distal forearm fractures.

Citation: Daştan AE, Vahabi A, Aljasim O, Kılıçlı B, Küçük L, Coşkunol E. A comparison of two immobilization methods in the conservative treatment of pediatric distal forearm fractures: Long arm cast versus single sugar-tong splint. Jt Dis Relat Surg 2023;34(2):381-388. doi: 10.52312/jdrs.2023.981.

Ethics Committee Approval

The study protocol was approved by the Ege University Faculty of Medicine Medical Research Ethics Committee (date: 28.05.2020, no: 20-5.1T/43). The study was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki.

Author Contributions

Design, analysis, writing the article: A.E.D.; Idea, design, data collection: A.V.; Idea, data collection, literature review: O.A.; Data collection, literature review: B.K.; Supervision, critical review: L.K.; Design, supervision: E.C.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article.

Financial Disclosure

The authors received no financial support for the research and/or authorship of this article.

Data Sharing Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.