Factors of delayed union in fracture of the biphalangeal fourth or fifth toe

Abstract

We enrolled 28 subjects with biphalangeal fractures of the fourth or fifth toe who had been followed up until the achievement of bone union in this study. The time to bone union was 1.6 to 12 months, and the subjects were divided into the following two groups for comparison: a patient group in which bone union was achieved in less than 4 months (bone union group, n = 20), and a patient group in which it took longer than 4 months to achieve bone union (delayed union group, n = 8). There was no significant difference in the mean age, gender distribution, laterality (right or left side) distribution, fractured toe, or fracture sites between the two groups. However, the duration of splint application was significantly shorter in the delayed union group as compared to that in the bone union group.