Role of Post-Operative X-Rays in Pediatric Distal Radius Fractures

This original article presents a retrospective study examining the role of post-operative X-rays in pediatric patients with distal radius fractures. The study aims to determine the necessary number of follow-up X-rays to use resources efficiently. It includes data from 88 pediatric patients who underwent fixation surgery for distal radius fractures between 2009 and 2017. The findings indicate that there is a notable absence of a statistically significant association between the frequency of post-operative X-rays and the clinical outcomes of these patients. The study highlights that the type of fixation method used may influence the likelihood of requiring additional X-rays, particularly noting that patients who underwent closed reduction fixation had lower odds of requiring more than one follow-up X-ray. The article concludes that the routine practice of conducting follow-up X-rays may not provide additional clinical benefits in uncomplicated cases of distal radius fractures in pediatric patients.