The Effect of Point-of-care Ultrasound Guidance for Distal Radius Fracture Reduction

The Effect of Point-of-care Ultrasound Guidance for Distal Radius Fracture Reduction

Distal radius (Colle's) fractures in adult patients are commonly reduced in the emergency department before casting. Standard of care currently requires that x-rays be performed before and after fracture reduction, and inadequate reductions may be subject to repeat attempts and are at a higher risk to require surgery. This study will assess the use of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in addition to standard care as a tool to decrease the angulation at the fracture site after a reduction is performed. If this angulation is decreased, it would suggest that POCUS for distal radius fracture reduction could decrease the number of failed reduction attempts and therefore the number of repeated reduction attempts.

Inclusion Criteria:

• radiographically confirmed distal radius fracture

Exclusion Criteria:

• patients who do not consent
• patients with multiple acute injuries, open fractures, or other local fractures evident (a simple ulnar styloid fracture will not be considered an exclusion criterion)
• patients with neurovascular compromise
• patients with bilateral distal radius fractures
• patients with minimally displaced distal radius fractures that do not require closed reduction before casting