Late dorsal tilt angulation of distal articular surface of radius in Colles' type of fracture at the end of the immobilization, can it be predicted?

BACKGROUND

The objective was to predict the late dorsal tilt angulation of distal articular surface of radius in Colles' type of fracture with radioulna index difference, age, sex of the patient and dorsal cortex comminution.

MATERIAL AND METHOD: Correlation between previously mentioned factors and the changing degree of dorsal tilt angulation of distal articular surface of radius were analyzed. Sixty three wrist radiographs of sixty two patients with Colles' type of fracture were evaluated for dorsal tilt angulation of distal articular surface, radioulna index before and after reduction and at the end of the immobilization, dorsal cortex comminution after reduction. The interobserver and intraobserver generalizability coefficients of the dorsal cortex comminution measurement method were analyzed.

RESULTS

Dorsal cortex comminution, age and sex of the patient were the predictors of the dorsal tilt angulation of distal articular surface of Colles' type of fracture at the end of the immobilization. Partial correlation coefficient for dorsal cortex comminution, age and sex were 0.177, 0.201 and -8.206 respectively. The generalizability coefficients were rated as substantial to excellent.

CONCLUSION

The late dorsal tilt angulation of distal articular surface of radius at the end of the immobilization can be predicted from size of dorsal cortex comminution, age and sex of the patients.