Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis and Functional Outcomes After Volar Plating vs. Casting of Unstable Distal Radius Fractures: A Minimum 2-Year Follow-Up of the VOLCON Randomized Controlled Trial
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
Explorative Outcomes of the Original RCT
- Sensory disturbance, including carpal tunnel syndrome and chronic regional pain syndrome;
- Flexor tendon rupture and irritation;
- Extensor tendon rupture and irritation;
- Hardware failure, e.g., osteosynthesis loosening;
- Infection: superficial (treated with antibiotics only) or deep (requiring a surgical intervention);
- Reoperation with hardware replacement;
- Reoperation with hardware removal (partial or total), which is not routinely performed in our country.
3. Results
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
Abbreviations
DRF | Distal radius fracture |
NCG | National clinical guideline |
ED | Emergency department |
ORIF | Open reduction internal fixation |
PROMs | Patient-related outcome measures |
OA | Osteoarthritis |
Quick-DASH | Quick-disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand |
PRWHE | Patient-rated wrist/hand evaluation |
MCID | Minimal clinical important difference |
NRS | Numeric rating scale |
ROM | Range of motion |
ASA | American Society of Anaesthesiologists |
EQ5D | EuroQol-5 Domain |
RCT | Randomized controlled trial |
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Available at Follow-Up at 2 Years | Lost to Follow-Up 1–2 Years | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
n = 60 | n = 25 | |||
Non-Operative | Operative | Non-Operative | Operative | |
n = 32 | n = 28 | n = 14 | n = 11 | |
Women [n/N (%)] | 26/32 (81%) | 22/28 (78%) | 11/14 (79%) | 8/11 (73%) |
Fractured dominant side [n/N (%)] | 13/32 (41%) | 13/28 (46%) | 8/14 (57%) | 4/11 (36%) |
Median age (range) [years] | 73 (66–92) | 72 (65–87) | 78 (65–91) | 78 (69–91) |
Retired | 31/32 (97%) | 28/28 (100%) | 14/14 (100%) | 11/11 (100%) |
ASA 1/ASA 2/ASA 3 [n] | 10/19/3 | 11/16/1 | 2/9/3 | 3/7/1 |
Non-Operative | Operative | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
PA Grade | 5 Weeks | 2 Years | 5 Weeks | 2 Years |
0 | 22 | 14 | 30 | 7 |
1 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 16 |
2 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 6 |
3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Quick-DASH | PRWHE | Pain (NRS 0–10) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non-Operative | Operative | Non-Operative | Operative | Non-Operative | Operative | |
6 months | 2.3 (0.0; 0.0–6.8; 25) | 2.3 (0.0; 0.0–6.8; 59) | 6.5 (0.0; 0.5–16; 42) | 7.0 (0.0; 0.0–15; 87) | 0 (0; 0–1; 5) | 0 (0; 0–1; 5) |
1 year | 0.0 (0.0; 0.0–4.5; 75) | 0.0 (0.0; 0.0–6.2; 64) | 0.5 (0.0; 0.0–13; 54) | 0.0 (0.0; 0.0–10; 93) | 0 (0; 0–0; 5) | 0 (0; 0–0; 7) |
2 years | 0.5 (0.0; 0.0–8.5; 55) | 0.0 (0.0; 0.0–2.3; 50) | 0.0 (0.0; 0.0–8; 68) | 0.0 (0.0; 0.0–3; 89) | 0 (0; 0–0; 5) | 0 (0; 0–0; 5) |
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Wæver, D.; Thorninger, R.; Romme, K.L.; Tjørnild, M.; Rölfing, J.D. Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis and Functional Outcomes After Volar Plating vs. Casting of Unstable Distal Radius Fractures: A Minimum 2-Year Follow-Up of the VOLCON Randomized Controlled Trial. J. Clin. Med. 2025, 14, 3766. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14113766
Wæver D, Thorninger R, Romme KL, Tjørnild M, Rölfing JD. Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis and Functional Outcomes After Volar Plating vs. Casting of Unstable Distal Radius Fractures: A Minimum 2-Year Follow-Up of the VOLCON Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2025; 14(11):3766. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14113766
Chicago/Turabian StyleWæver, Daniel, Rikke Thorninger, Karen Larsen Romme, Michael Tjørnild, and Jan Duedal Rölfing. 2025. "Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis and Functional Outcomes After Volar Plating vs. Casting of Unstable Distal Radius Fractures: A Minimum 2-Year Follow-Up of the VOLCON Randomized Controlled Trial" Journal of Clinical Medicine 14, no. 11: 3766. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14113766
APA StyleWæver, D., Thorninger, R., Romme, K. L., Tjørnild, M., & Rölfing, J. D. (2025). Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis and Functional Outcomes After Volar Plating vs. Casting of Unstable Distal Radius Fractures: A Minimum 2-Year Follow-Up of the VOLCON Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 14(11), 3766. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14113766