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A Queensland trial into the treatment of a common hand injury, funded by the (EMF), is set to make a significant impact to fracture patient recovery times while also helping to ease emergency department demand.

The randomised, controlled trial of 126 patients who presented with a 鈥榖oxer鈥檚 fracture鈥� compared the outcomes from the routine practice of plastering these injuries with a more 鈥榰ser-friendly鈥� approach. It is being led by Dr Richard Pellatt, a physician in the Emergency Department.

鈥淲e see up to 10 patients presenting with a fifth metacarpal fracture of neck of the hand per week, many of which are working age men in their mid-20s,鈥� Dr Pellatt said.

鈥淗aving an immobilised hand in plaster cast results in a significant amount of time off work and subsequent loss of income, and sport and social activities for these patients.

鈥淲hen we buddy taped, we found the patients generally spent 30 minutes less in the ED than plaster patients and went back to work within seven days of presenting, with some resuming normal activities straight away.鈥�

Dr Pellatt said boxer鈥檚 fracture patients are a notoriously difficult group to follow up post-ED treatment, with very few attending their outpatient clinic appointment.

鈥淏uddy tape patients could be followed up over the phone or with their GP, rather than attending the fracture clinic for orthopaedic specialist review,鈥� he said.

鈥淭his in turn frees up appointments for patients with more acute orthopaedic needs and frees up some time for orthopaedic specialists and plaster technicians.鈥�

Emergency physician Gerben Keijzers said when the study commenced three years ago it was the only Australian trial of its kind on a local population. He said a $17,000 grant from EMF was a big boost for the trial, allowing for the hire of a full-time research nurse to follow patients and statistical analysis from researchers at .

EMF General Manager Dr Son牡 Hall said the buddy taping research has since led to a rapid change in clinical practice which is benefiting both patients and the emergency healthcare system, reducing the ever-increasing demands on our emergency departments.

Image caption: Dr Richard Pellatt with a patient at Gold Coast University 黑料吃瓜群网. Image courtesy Gold Coast Health.