Bülent Özkurt1, Murat Altay1, Hasan Bozkurt Türker1, Akif Muhtar Öztürk1, Ferhat Şentürk2, Abdullah Yalçın Tabak3

1Ankara Numune Education and Research Hospital, Fifth Orthopaedics Clinic, Staff Surgeon, Ankara, Turkey
2Ankara Numune Education and Research Hospital, Fifth Orthopaedics Clinic, Assistant, Ankara, Turkey
3Ankara Numune Education and Research Hospital, Fifth Orthopaedics Clinic, Associate Professor, Clinic Director, Ankara, Turkey

Keywords: Casting, fracture, micronised purified flavonoid fraction, oedema, radius

Abstract

Objective: Therapeutic efficacy of micronised and purified flavonoid fraction (MPFF) on oedema formation was assessed in patients with distal radial fractures treated with closed reduction and short-arm circular casting.
Patients and methods: Hundred patients (28 males and 72 females) were evaluated in a prospective randomized controlled clinical trial. Patients were allocated into two groups. In Group I, the patients received non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicine. In Group II, the patients received MPFF. Saturation of oxyhaemoglobin (SpO2) was measured with pulse oximetry from the first and fourth fingers of both hands.
Results: SpO2 in fractured extremities decreased after casting. SpO2 in the fractured extremities increased earlier and this was significant in Group II. SpO2 difference between the fractured and normal extremities was significant in Group II for the first three days. This difference consisted until the end of three weeks in Group I. Decrease in SpO2 values and oedema formation was significantly better in patients treated with MPFF.
Discussion: Oedema formation contributes to the insufficiency in peripheral capillary circulation and decreases SpO2 values after closed reduction and circular casting of distal radius fractures. Measurement of SpO2 with pulse oximetry is a simple and inexpensive method to monitor peripheral capillary circulation after circular casting. Administration of MPFF is beneficial in preventing oedema formation and regulating peripheral SpO2 after distal radial fractures.