Short and Long-arm Fiberglass Cast Immobilization for Distal Salter Harris I and II Forearm Fractures in Children

University of Zurich (UZH)

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Fracture Forearm

Treatments: Device: long-arm fiberglass cast; Device: short-arm fiberglass cast

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05156749

UChildrenZurich_salter harris

Details and patient eligibility

About

The aim of this study is to investigate whether short-arm fiberglass cast (SAC) immobilization provides fracture stabilization comparable to that of long-arm cast (LAC) treatment of displaced and non-displaced distal Salter Harris I/II forearm fractures in paediatric patients.

Full description

The patients are allocated randomly into the two groups(short-arm cast, long-arm cast). After confirming study participation, patients draw a sealed envelope enclosing a numbered card, which assignes them to one group or other. After choosing the envelope, neither the ED staff nor the parents and their childrenare blinded for the treatment groups. However, the data are going to be analyzed under blinded conditions

Enrollment: 120 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 4 to 16 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Salter Harris I or II fracture of the distal radius or a forearm fracture
• informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• open/instable/intraarticular fracture
• age <4 years or > 16years
• no informed consent

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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120 participants in 2 patient groups

short-arm fiberglass cast

Experimental group

Description:

salter harris fractures of the distal radius/forearm in children are usually treated with fiberglass long-arm casts. The investigators were able to demonstrate that in distal metaphyseal forearm fracture, treatment with a short-arm cast is not inferior to a long-arm cast. Patients are going to receive a short-arm cast for fracture treatment.

Treatment:

Device: short-arm fiberglass cast

long-arm fiberglass cast

Active Comparator group

Description:

salter harris fractures of the distal radius/forearm in children are usually treated with a fiberglass long-arm cast. Patients are going to receive a long-arm cast for fracture treatment.

Treatment:

Device: long-arm fiberglass cast