Epidemiology of Distal Radius Fractures in High Complexity Clinic in Colombia, Treatment and Outcomes

With the purpose of identifying the prevalence of distal radius fractures, their treatment, and comorbidities in patients seen at Clínica Medilaser in Tunja between 2019 and 2021. Methodology: We established a sample of 69 patients who arrived at emergency care services with a diagnosis of distal radius fracture. We conducted a characterization of the population, which we followed with a bivariate analysis of sociodemographic and clinical characteristics in relation to complications and clinical outcomes; for those with significant associations, a logistic regression was performed. Results: The prevalence of distal radius fractures in our emergency consulting population was 3.73%, while the prevalence of this fracture among all upper limb fractures was 36.64%. Surgical treatment was preferred in 73.9% of cases, with Kirschner wires being the more commonly used at 43.8%. Only 8.7% of patients required further surgery after an average of 50.5 days, 4.4% experienced infections at the surgical site within the first 30 days, and 14.3% showed strength deficit when compared to the opposite hand. A significant association was found between the need for reoperation and rural origin (p = 0.034) and the combined fixation of Kirschner wires with a palmar plate (p = 0.044). Conclusions: Distal radius fractures at our institution showed a high prevalence with a low complication rate. Furthermore, associations were found between the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of the population and the presence of complications and unsatisfactory outcomes.