Factors Associated With Surgical Treatment of Nondisplaced or Minimally Displaced Scaphoid Waist Fractures.

PURPOSE: To determine whether there are identifiable factors associated with the surgical treatment of nondisplaced or minimally displaced scaphoid waist fractures.

METHODS

We identified 50 patients who underwent nonsurgical treatment and 67 patients who underwent surgical treatment of nondisplaced or minimally displaced scaphoid waist fractures at 2 tertiary care referral centers in a single metropolitan area in the United States between January 2010 and March 2019. Bivariate analysis was used to screen for factors associated with surgical treatment. Multivariable stepwise logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with surgical treatment of a nondisplaced or minimally displaced scaphoid fracture.

RESULTS

Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that male sex (odds ratio = 2.80; 95% confidence interval, 1.20-6.52) and employed status (odds ratio = 3.12, 95% confidence interval, 1.24-7.85) were associated with surgical treatment of nondisplaced or minimally displaced scaphoid waist fractures.

CONCLUSIONS

Male and employed patients have increased odds of undergoing scaphoid surgery for nondisplaced or minimally displaced waist fractures compared with female and unemployed patients. These differences may represent patient preference, surgeon counseling, or a combination. Further study is needed to understand the etiology of this sex difference.

TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic IV.