Cannabis Use in Patients With Distal Radius Fractures: A Moment of Unity?

Abstract

Background: As legalization of cannabis spreads, an increasing number of patients who use cannabis are being seen in the clinical setting. This study examined the impact of cannabis and tobacco use on postoperative complications following open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of distal radius fractures.

Methods: A national, all-payer database was queried to identify patients who underwent ORIF of a distal radius fracture between 2015 and 2020 (n = 970 747). Patients were stratified into the following groups: (1) tobacco use (n = 86 941), (2) cannabis use (n = 898), (3) tobacco and cannabis use (n = 9842), and (4) neither tobacco nor cannabis use ("control", 747 892). Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify risk factors for infection, nonunion, and malunion within the first postoperative year.

Results: Concomitant use of tobacco and cannabis was associated with a higher rate of nonunion (5.0%) compared to tobacco or cannabis use alone (P < .001). Multivariate analysis identified cannabis-only use (odds ratio [OR] 1.25), tobacco-only use (OR 2.17), and concurrent tobacco and cannabis use (OR 1.78) as risk factors for infection within the first postoperative year. Similarly, cannabis-only use (OR 1.47), tobacco-only use (OR 1.92), and concurrent tobacco and cannabis use (OR 2.52) were associated with an increased risk of malunion.

Conclusions: Cannabis use is associated with an elevated risk of infection and malunion following operative management of a distal radius fracture. Concomitant use of cannabis and tobacco poses an elevated risk of nonunion and malunion compared to tobacco use alone.