Observation Versus Cast Treatment of Toddler's Fractures
Joseph Fox1, Brianna Enriquez2,3, Viviana Bompadre1
1Departments of Orthopedics and Sports Medicine.
Insights
Observation is as effective as casting for toddler's fractures, leading to fewer complications and high family satisfaction. This approach for pediatric distal tibia fractures offers comparable outcomes to immobilization.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Orthopedics
- Pediatric Traumatology
Background:
- Toddler's fractures (nondisplaced metaphyseal distal tibia fractures) are common pediatric injuries.
- Treatment options include long leg casting or observation.
- This study evaluates short-term outcomes of these two treatment modalities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare clinical and radiographic outcomes of toddler's fractures treated with long leg casting versus observation.
- To assess functional recovery and family satisfaction in both treatment groups.
Main Methods:
- A prospective cohort study with a randomized and preference arm.
- Patients received either long leg casting or observation.
- Outcomes measured via radiographs, Oxford Ankle Foot Questionnaire for Children (OAFQ-C), and family satisfaction surveys at 4 and 8 weeks.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in clinical or radiographic outcomes between groups.
- Observation group showed higher initial play scores and trended towards higher physical scores.
- Casted patients experienced more minor complications (P=0.01), with 50% walking normally at 4 weeks vs. 92% in the observation group.
Conclusions:
- Observation of toddler's fractures yields equivalent clinical and radiographic outcomes to long leg casting.
- Observation is associated with fewer complications and high family satisfaction.
- Observation is a safe and effective treatment for pediatric distal tibia fractures.
Background:
Nondisplaced metaphyseal fractures of the distal tibia, or toddler's fractures, are one of the most common pediatric injuries. Healing typically occurs quickly without sequelae. Treatment ranges from long leg cast immobilization to observation. This study compares short-term clinical and radiographic outcomes of toddler's fractures treated with long leg casting versus observation.
Methods:
Patients with toddler's fractures were offered enrollment and randomization at diagnosis. Because many families opposed randomization, a preference arm was added after one year. All subjects were analyzed as a prospective cohort. Radiographs were obtained at diagnosis and 4 weeks. A modified Oxford Ankle Foot Questionnaire for Children (OAFQ-C) and family satisfaction survey were collected at diagnosis, 4 and 8 weeks. Scores were analyzed using mixed effect models. Family satisfaction surveys were compared using a Wilcoxon rank sum test.
Results:
Forty-four subjects participated in the study, 34 (77%) in the preference arm and 10 (23%) in the randomized cohort. The median patient age was comparable between the cast and the observation groups, 2.0 versus 1.8 years, respectively. Significant improvement in OAFQ-C scores was observed in both groups over 8 weeks (P<0.01). Patients in the observation group had a higher initial play score than the cast group (P=0.03). The observation group trended toward higher physical scores at all time points (P=0.11). There was no significant difference in emotional scores between groups (P=0.77). No displacement was observed in any patient. Casted patients had significantly more minor complications with 4 patients requiring cast change or removal compared with 0 in the observed group (P=0.01). At 8 weeks, 80% of parents in the cast group were likely or very likely to choose the same treatment compared with 95.6% in the observation group. Family satisfaction scores did not differ between groups (P=0.18). They demonstrated differences in perceived normal walking at 4 weeks, with 50% of casted patients walking normally compared with 92% of observed patients. Over 90% of patients in both groups were reportedly walking normally at week 8.
Conclusion:
Observation of toddler's fractures results in equivalent clinical and radiographic outcomes, high family satisfaction and fewer complications compared with treatment with a long leg cast.
Level Of Evidence:
Level II.
