Description
In a presentation led by Bob Handley, the discussion centers on the interplay between civil engineering sustainability and medical practices related to fracture healing, notably ankle fractures. Handley introduces themes from a congress on sustainability and refers to previous insights from a civil engineer, Olly Budd, who emphasized the importance of avoiding unnecessary construction and interventions.
Delving into medical evidence, Handley references Cochrane reviews that concluded insufficient evidence exists for determining whether surgical or conservative management is more suitable for ankle fractures, leading him to a recent study called the AIM study. This pragmatic clinical research looked into treatment methods for elderly patients, comparing close contact casting with open reduction internal fixation.
The study, involving over 600 patients, demonstrated no significant difference in outcomes between the two methods in terms of patient quality of life and function over both six weeks and six months. Additionally, Handley highlights the challenges of assessing patients' preferences and expectations when deciding treatment paths, underscoring the necessity for unbiased patient communications to support shared decision-making.
He shares that practical outcomes from the AIM study encourage a more judicious approach to surgical interventions, promoting conservative treatment whenever feasible, thereby saving resources and avoiding unnecessary surgeries. Ultimately, Handley concludes the presentation advocating for the integration of findings from the AIM study into everyday practice to improve efficiency and patient care.