Aim: We will evaluate the functional outcomes in elderly patients with unstable distal end radius fractures who were not willing for operative treatment and were managed conservatively with cast application. Background: Despite 200 year of medical literature proving the complexity and non­solved problems in treating distal radius fractures, in no other fracture, intra­articular mal­union and metaphyseal mal­alignment is so broadly accepted [1]. Material and Methods: 30 elderly patients with unstable distal radius fractures with mean age of 57.1 years were managed conservatively and observed for an average period of six months and functional and radiological outcomes were assessed. Results: Patient Related Wrist Evaluation system (PRWE) showed all groups had minimal functional disability. Radiological assessment by Sarmiento et al modification of Lidstorm’s scoring showed that 33.3% patients in group 1A had poor radiographic scores, 50% patients in group 1B had good radiographic scores whereas in group 2 , 53.3% patients had fair radiographic scores. Functional results were not found to be correlated with radiological outcomes. Conclusion: In elderly patients, patients having low functional demands or patients presenting to us late and not willing for any surgical treatment, mal­alignment and articular incongruence can be accepted, as radiological outcomes in this study does not correlate with the functional outcomes.

Keywords: Distal Radius; Conservative; Colles; PRWE; Elderly; Low Demand.