• V Ketter, C Kiehne, M Frink, R Aigner, S Ruchholtz, and J Lenz.
• Center for Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery, Philipps-University Marburg; University Hospital Giessen and Marburg GmbH, Location Marburg, Baldingerstraße, D-35043, Marburg, Germany. ketter@med.uni-marburg.de.
• Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2024 Dec 12; 145 (1): 2828.

IntroductionAfter surgical treatment of fractures of the distal radius, radiographs in 2 planes are routinely performed postoperatively as a standard procedure to verify anatomic reduction and implant positioning. However, the postoperative radiological examinations rarely has a consequence. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the frequency of treatment plan changes based on standardized postoperative radiographs. Secondarily, abnormalities, already being present in the intraoperative radiographs, were examined.MethodsBetween 2015 and 2019 a total of 664 consecutive patients who underwent open reduction and internal fixation of a distal radius were evaluated in a retrospective study.ResultsThe median age was 60 (range 92 - 16 years). Overall, a treatment plan change was detected in 20 patients. After standardized postoperative radiographs a CT scan was performed in 16 patients and 14 patients underwent early operative revision; in only four of these cases, the revision could be attributed to the postoperative radiograph.ConclusionConsidering the low incidence of treatment plan changes, routinely performed radiographs after surgical treatment of distal radius fractures must be critically questioned.© 2024. The Author(s).

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