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Distal radius fractures are common in children
Traditional management includes closed reduction +/- procedural sedation
The downside of this approach includes: patient risks, cost, physician time, ED bed time and tying up resources.
Kids have excellent bone remodeling potential...displaced and angulated fractures heal well without reduction
Crawford et al - 51 children aged 3 to 10 (avg 6.9 yrs) w/closed distal radius fractures.
Exclusions: open or growth plate fractures, metabolic bone disease or neurovascular injury.
No sedation, analgesia or fracture reduction was performed
Treatment: simple casting and gentle molding to correct angulation... i.e. fractures were left in a shortened, overriding position
Outcome: All patients had clinical and radiographic union and full range of motion of the wrist at one year w/ good patient (parent) satisfaction. This was associated w/ significant cost savings.
Consider this approach in consultation with orthopedist
Remember exclusions: open fractures, fracture dislocations, growth plate injuries and neurovascular injury.
Children w/ excessive angulation or rotational deformity should have standard care (closed reduction w/ sedation)
Multiple guidelines exist for "excessive angulation" but as a general rule
Age < 5 Up to 35 degrees
Age 5- 10 Up to 25 degrees
Age >10 Up to 20 degrees
References
Closed treatment of overriding distal radial fractures without reduction in children. Crawford et al.
J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2012 Feb 1;94(3):246-52.