Fracture of the distal radius and its surgical management compared to conservative treatment: Systematic review

Introduction: distal radius fractures are one of the most common fractures in adults, with an even higher incidence in older adults. The main mechanism is the fall on the outstretched hand, followed by sports injuries and road accidents. The complications associated with the fracture can cause joint limitation or chronic pain that can limit the patient's life, which represents a great challenge for its management. Material and method: this systematic review aimed to identify which approach has the best results in patients with distal radius fractures. Medline and Google Scholar were used as search bases, selecting potential works and important information. Of the 795 papers identified, 57 potential articles were selected. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 15 works were selected, dividing the patients into 2 groups: those treated surgically and those treated conservatively. Results: the results showed that surgical treatment presents a faster rate of consolidation and a potential prevention of nonunion compared to conservative treatment. However, surgical treatment also presented more complications. On the other hand, conservative treatment appears to be safer and is associated with a lower rate of complications. Conclusion: surgical treatment accelerates the return to work or previous activities earlier and to a better functional status, less pain and greater patient satisfaction compared to conservative treatment. However, conservative treatment appears to be safer and is associated with a lower complication rate. Therefore, the choice of approach to follow must be individualized for each patient, taking into account factors such as age, the severity of the fracture, and comorbidities.