Buddy Taping Compared to Splint Immobilization for Displaced Paediatric Finger Fractures

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Fracture immobilization with Buddy taping is not inferior to Splint immobilization for non-displaced extra-articular paediatric finger fractures. However, whether the same applies for reduced finger fractures is unclear.

Detailed Description
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Displaced fractures will be reduced in the paediatric ED by Emergency physicians. After fracture reduction, fracture immobilization will either be done with a Splint immobilization or a fingertaping. After 4 and 21 days, clinical and radiographic controls will take place at the Hand surgery outpatient clinic.

Official Title
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Buddy Taping Compared to Splint Immobilizations for Reduced Paediatric Finger Fractures

Conditions
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Fracture Finger

Intervention / Treatment
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* Procedure: fracture immobilization after reduction of displaced finger fractures


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: extraarticular displaced finger fractures of the proximal or middle phalanges Exclusion Criteria: fractures of the thumb fractures that are open, instable, pathologic or multifragmented multiple fractures of the Hand phalangeal neck fractures presentation later than 5 days after the injury

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 4 Years
Maximum Age: 16 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Buddy taping<br>Buddy taping of the fractured finger to ist neighbouring uninjured finger. | Procedure: fracture immobilization after reduction of displaced finger fractures<br>* After closed reduction of a displaced finger fracture, fracture immobilization with either Buddy taping or Splint immobilization<br>|
| Active Comparator: splint immobilization<br>A forearm-based palmar Hand Splint in an intrinsic plus Position, enclosing all fingers without the thumb. | Procedure: fracture immobilization after reduction of displaced finger fractures<br>* After closed reduction of a displaced finger fracture, fracture immobilization with either Buddy taping or Splint immobilization<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| secondary fracture displacement | X-ray controls | 5 and 21 days after fracture reduction | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Patient comfort | visual analog scale (VAS): Smiley scale with a range from 1 to 10, 10 being the highest score possible, indicating that the Patient comfort was very high. | 5 and 21 days after fracture reduction | 
| Need for analgesic medication | interview with Patient and parents | 5 and 21 days after fracture reduction | 
| total range of Motion | measurement | 6 month after fracture reduction |