# Comparison of Sociodemographic and Radiographic Features in Distal Radio Fracture Treatment: Hand Surgeons versus Non-specialists

## TL;DR

This study compares how hand surgeons and non-specialists treat wrist fractures in Brazil, finding that specialists handle more severe cases and achieve better radiographic results.

## Contribution

The study provides empirical evidence on treatment differences between hand surgeons and non-specialists for distal radial fractures in a specific geographic region.

## Key findings

- Hand surgeons treated younger patients with more severe (type C) fractures and achieved better radiographic outcomes.
- Significant differences were found in radial and volar inclination measurements between the two groups.
- Specialists had a higher number of cases with restored anatomical parameters.

## Abstract

Objective:
 This study evaluated sociodemographic and radiographic features of patients with distal radial fractures treated at a trauma hospital in southern Brazil, comparing those treated by hand surgery specialists (group 1) and non-specialists (group 2).

Methods:
 This study consists of a retrospective cohort of 200 patients treated in 2020. After reviewing medical records and radiographs, the following parameters were analyzed: age, gender, trauma mechanism, laterality, associated comorbidities and fractures, fracture classification (AO), radial height, radial inclination, and volar inclination. Comparison of the two groups used the Student t-test, chi-square test, or Fisher exact test.

Results:
 Most subjects were women (54%), sustained low-energy traumas (58%), and were left-handed (53%). Group 1 had a lower mean age (50.2 years); most of their subjects sustained high-energy trauma (54%) and had type C fractures (73%); type A fractures prevailed in group 2 (72%). Radiographs showed a significant difference regarding the mean radial inclination (21.5° in group 1 and 16.5° in group 2 [
p
 < 0.001] in women, and 21.3° in group 1 and 17° in group 2 [
p
 < 0.001] in men) and volar inclination (10.1° and 12.8° in groups 1 and 2, respectively [
p
 < 0.001]). In addition, the absolute number of cases with reestablished anatomical parameters per the three evaluated variables was also significantly different; all parameters were better in group 1.

Conclusion:
 Hand surgeons treated the most severe fractures and had the best radiographic outcomes.

Objetivo:
 Avaliar as características sociodemográficas e radiográficas dos pacientes com fratura de rádio distal tratados em um hospital de trauma no sul do Brasil, comparando os casos tratados pelos especialistas em cirurgia da mão (grupo 1) com aqueles tratados por não especialistas (grupo 2).

Métodos:
 Coorte retrospectiva realizada com 200 pacientes, no ano de 2020. Por meio da revisão de prontuários e radiografias, analisaram-se: idade, sexo, mecanismo de trauma, lateralidade, presença de comorbidades e fraturas associadas, classificação da fratura (AO), altura radial, inclinação radial e, inclinação volar. Comparou-se os dois grupos por meio do teste t de Student, qui-quadrado ou exato de Fisher.

Resultados:
 A maioria era de pacientes do sexo feminino (54%), traumas de baixa energia (58%) e lateralidade esquerda (53%). O grupo 1 apresentou média de idade menor (50,2 anos), traumas de alta energia (54%), e fraturas tipo C (73%), enquanto no grupo 2 fraturas tipo A prevaleceram (72%). As radiografias apresentaram diferença significativa quanto à média de valores de inclinação radial (21,5° no grupo 1 e 16,5° no grupo 2 [
p
 < 0,001] nas mulheres e, 21,3° no grupo 1 e 17° no grupo 2 [
p
 < 0,001] nos homens) e inclinação volar (10,1° e 12,8° no grupo 1 e 2, respectivamente [
p
 < 0,001]), bem como no número absoluto de casos que reestabeleceram os parâmetros anatômicos nas três variáveis avaliadas, sendo todos melhores no grupo 1.

Conclusão:
 Os cirurgiões de mão trataram as fraturas mais graves e apresentaram os melhores resultados radiográficos.