Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26289092›Full record

Trial reportKnee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA2015

External fixator for treatment of the sub-acute and chronic multi-ligament-injured knee.

Fabio Janson Angelini, Camilo Partezani Helito, Marcelo Batista Bonadio, Tales Molica Guimarães, Ronald Bispo Barreto, José Ricardo Pécora, Gilberto Luis Camanho, Roberto Freire da Mota E Albuquerque

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 20 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
20citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

20 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. [Research progress in diagnosis and treatment of multiple ligament knee injuries].Zhongguo xiu fu chong jian wai ke za zhi = Zhongguo xiufu chongjian waike zazhi = Chinese journal of reparative and reconstructive surgery · 2026
    Review
  3. Review
  4. Multiligament Knee Injuries: Updates of the Debates.Indian journal of orthopaedics · 2025
    Review
  5. Article
  6. Review
  7. Review
  8. Review
  9. Review
  10. Review
  11. Article
  12. Vascular Injuries in Multiligament Knee Injuries (MLKIs).Indian journal of orthopaedics · 2024
    Review
  13. Article
  14. Controversies in acute multiligamentary knee injuries (MLKI).Journal of experimental orthopaedics · 2020
    Review
  15. Article
  16. Article
  17. Review
  18. Combined reconstruction of the posterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament using a single femoral tunnel.Knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA · 2017
    Article
  19. Review
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Fabio Janson AngeliniKnee Surgery Division, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, University of São Paulo, Rua Dr. Ovídio Pires de Campos, 333, Cerqueira Cesar, São Paulo, SP, CEP 05403-010, Brazil. angelini@usp.br.
Camilo Partezani HelitoKnee Surgery Division, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, University of São Paulo, Rua Dr. Ovídio Pires de Campos, 333, Cerqueira Cesar, São Paulo, SP, CEP 05403-010, Brazil.
Marcelo Batista BonadioKnee Surgery Division, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, University of São Paulo, Rua Dr. Ovídio Pires de Campos, 333, Cerqueira Cesar, São Paulo, SP, CEP 05403-010, Brazil.
Tales Molica GuimarãesKnee Surgery Division, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, University of São Paulo, Rua Dr. Ovídio Pires de Campos, 333, Cerqueira Cesar, São Paulo, SP, CEP 05403-010, Brazil.
Ronald Bispo BarretoKnee Surgery Division, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, University of São Paulo, Rua Dr. Ovídio Pires de Campos, 333, Cerqueira Cesar, São Paulo, SP, CEP 05403-010, Brazil.
José Ricardo PécoraKnee Surgery Division, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, University of São Paulo, Rua Dr. Ovídio Pires de Campos, 333, Cerqueira Cesar, São Paulo, SP, CEP 05403-010, Brazil.
Gilberto Luis CamanhoKnee Surgery Division, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, University of São Paulo, Rua Dr. Ovídio Pires de Campos, 333, Cerqueira Cesar, São Paulo, SP, CEP 05403-010, Brazil.
Roberto Freire da Mota E AlbuquerqueKnee Surgery Division, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, University of São Paulo, Rua Dr. Ovídio Pires de Campos, 333, Cerqueira Cesar, São Paulo, SP, CEP 05403-010, Brazil.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeTo assess whether the use of an articulated external fixator provides improvements in the mobility, stability and subjective function of patients undergoing ligament reconstruction.

methodsThirty-three patients with sub-acute and chronic knee dislocation were subjected to multi-ligament reconstruction surgery. These patients were randomly allocated to two groups for immobilization after reconstruction: group 0-control (18 patients), with rigid knee bracing, and group 1-articulated external fixator (15 patients). The stability of the reconstructed ligaments was assessed after at least 14 months (26.6-month average) postoperatively by physical examination. Deficit of extension and flexion was measured in relation to the unaffected contralateral knee, and the Lysholm knee scoring scale questionnaire was applied.

resultsThere was no difference in the assessment of joint stability between the groups. In group 1, patients showed less flexion deficit (4.8° ± 5.4° vs. 18.2° ± 14.8°, p < 0.05), and the percentage of patients with a flexion deficit of 5° or less were higher compared with group 0 (64 vs. 18 %, p < 0.05). There was no difference between groups in relation to extension loss. Group 1 also presented better Lysholm scores, with 73 % of patients rated as excellent or good compared with 35 % in group 0 (p < 0.05).

conclusionsCompared with the control rehabilitation protocol with rigid knee bracing in extension, the use of an articulated external fixator in the treatment of chronic multi-ligament-injured knees provided the same ligament stability, better final range of motion and improved Lysholm score. Patients presenting with chronic multi-ligament instability should be considered for articulated external fixation to supplement reconstruction procedures. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Randomized controlled trial, Level I.

Indexed as

External FixatorsAcute DiseaseAdultAgedChronic DiseaseFemaleHumansKnee DislocationKnee InjuriesLigaments, ArticularMaleMiddle AgedOrthopedic ProceduresPlastic Surgery ProceduresProspective StudiesRange of Motion, ArticularExternal fixatorsKnee dislocation/rehabilitationKnee dislocation/surgeryPosterior cruciate ligament/injuryPosterior cruciate ligament/surgeryRestraints

Identifiers

PMID26289092

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.