title: Isolated distal radial metaphyseal fractures with an intact ulna: risk factors for loss of reduction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to determine the risk factors for loss of reduction in patients with an isolated distal radius fracture and intact ulna.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outpatient records and initial, post-reduction, and follow-up radiographs of children with displaced distal radial metaphyseal fractures and intact ulnas that required closed reduction and casting at our institution were reviewed for demographic factors, body mass index (BMI), initial fracture displacement, residual displacement after reduction, and 3-point cast index. Loss of reduction was defined as angulation ≥15° in the coronal plane for all ages and/or angulation ≥20° in the sagittal plane for patients ≥11 years of age and ≥30° for children <11 years of age. Additionally, all patients who were remanipulated and/or pinned were considered to have lost reduction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-five of the 76 patients in our series met the criteria for loss of reduction (46%). Multivariate logistic regression revealed that initial angulation in the coronal plane and post-reduction translation in the coronal plane were independent predictors for loss of reduction. Patients with >11° of initial angulation in the coronal plane were 6.3 times as likely to lose reduction (confidence interval [CI]: 1.43-28.3, P = 0.015) and those with any amount of residual translation in the coronal plane after closed reduction were 7.8 times as likely to lose reduction (CI: 2.5-24.0, P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study, the largest dedicated series of distal radial metaphyseal fractures with intact ulnas, indicates that loss of reduction is common, and that risk factors include initial angulation in the coronal plane and post-reduction translation in the coronal plane.
authors.affiliation: Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 2nd Floor Wood Bldg., 34th and Civic Center Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA.
authors.forename: Wudbhav N
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: Sankar
authors.forename: Nicholas A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.forename: Jordan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Brewer
authors.forename: Keith D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Baldwin
authors.forename: Juan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Pretell