Outcome of reduction of paediatric forearm fracture by emergency department clinicians.

OBJECTIVES

Paediatric forearm fractures are common. Anecdotally, there is a trend towards ED reduction of selected fractures under procedural sedation. We aimed to determine the rate of subsequent operative intervention for fracture re-displacement.

METHODS

Retrospective observational study of children with a forearm/wrist fracture undergoing fracture reduction in ED. Outcome of interest was operative intervention for fracture re-displacement within 6 weeks.

RESULTS

Among 176 patients studied, operative intervention occurred in nine patients (5.1%, 95% confidence interval 2.7-9.4%).

CONCLUSION

Reduction of paediatric forearm fractures under procedural sedation by ED clinicians is increasingly common and results in a low rate of subsequent operative intervention.