Open AccessNo Higher Risk of CRPS After External Fixation of Distal Radial Fractures – Subgroup Analysis Under Randomised Vitamin C Prophylaxis§
Author(s) -
Paul E. Zollinger,
R.W. Kreis,
Hub G. van der Meulen,
Maarten van der Elst,
R.S. Breederveld,
W.E. Tuinebreijer
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
the open orthopaedics journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1874-3250
DOI - 10.2174/1874325001004010071
Subject(s) - medicine , complex regional pain syndrome , radial fractures , subgroup analysis , placebo , wrist , surgery , external fixation , anesthesia , confidence interval , external fixator , alternative medicine , pathology
Operative and conservative treatment of wrist fractures might lead to complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) type I. In our multicenter dose response study in which patients with distal radial fractures were randomly allocated to placebo or vitamin C in a daily dose of 200mg, 500mg or 1500mg during 50 days, an operated subgroup was analyzed. 48 (of 427) fractures) were operated (11.2%). Twenty-nine patients (60%) were treated with external fixation, 14 patients (29%) with K-wiring according to Kapandji and five patients (10%) with internal plate fixation. The 379 remaining patients were treated with a plaster. In the operated group of patients who received vitamin C no CRPS (0/37) was seen in comparison with one case of CRPS (Kapandji technique) in the operated group who received placebo (1/11 = 9%, p=.23). There was no CRPS after external fixation. In the conservatively treated group 17 cases of CRPS (17/379 = 4.5%) occurred in comparison with one in case of CRPS in the operated group (1/48 = 2.1%, p=.71). External fixation doesn’t necessarily lead to a higher incidence of CRPS in distal radial fractures. Vitamin C may also play a role in this. This subgroup analysis in operated distal radial fractures showed no CRPS occurrence with vitamin C prophylaxis.