Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30419933›Full record

SynthesisJournal of orthopaedic surgery and research2018

Efficacy and safety of 3D print-assisted surgery for the treatment of pilon fractures: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Jianzhong Bai, Yongxiang Wang, Pei Zhang, Meiying Liu, Peian Wang, Jingcheng Wang, Yuan Liang

Open access · goldAbstract readMeta-AnalysisReview
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 19 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
19citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
2.3field-weighted citation impact, top 12% of its field
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

19 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 30 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Comparing the efficacy of 3D-printing-assisted surgery with traditional surgical treatment of fracture: an umbrella review.Journal of orthopaedics and traumatology : official journal of the Italian Society of Orthopaedics and Traumatology · 2025
    Pooled it
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  4. Does using 3D printed models for pre-operative planning improve surgical outcomes of foot and ankle fracture fixation? A systematic review and meta-analysis.European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society · 2024
    Pooled it
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  6. Mixed reality improves agreement on surgical approach selection and patient positioning in tibial plateau fracture planning compared to CT, 3DCT and 3D printing.European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society · 2026
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  15. Orthopedics and 3D technology in Turkey: A preliminary report.Joint diseases and related surgery · 2021
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  19. Efficacy and Prognosis of 3D Printing Technology in Treatment of High-Energy Trans-Syndesmotic Ankle Fracture Dislocation - "Log-Splitter" Injury.Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research · 2019
    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

7 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Jianzhong BaiDalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, Liaoning, China.
Yongxiang WangClinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225001, China.
Pei ZhangDalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, Liaoning, China.
Meiying LiuDalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, Liaoning, China.
Peian WangHeze Mudan People's Hospital, Heze, 274000, China.
Jingcheng WangClinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225001, China. wangjcyangzhou@163.com.
Yuan LiangClinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225001, China. 464156241@qq.com.
Dalian Medical University · CNYangzhou University · CNHeze Municipal Hospital · CN

Funding

Jiangcheng Wang 81772332Yongxiang Wang BE2013911Yongxiang Wang BK20141281Yongxiang Wang BRA2016159Yongxiang Wang WSW-133Yongxiang Wang YZ2011082Yuan Liang yzucms201623
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo compare the effects of 3D print-assisted surgery and conventional surgery in the treatment of pilon fractures.

methodsPubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CNKI, CBM, and WanFang data were searched until July 2018. Two reviewers selected relevant studies, assessed the quality of studies, and extracted data. For continuous data, a weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used. For dichotomous data, a relative risk (RR) and 95% CI were calculated as the summary statistics.

resultsThere were seven randomized controlled trials (RCT) enrolling a total of 486 patients, 242 patients underwent 3D print-assisted surgery and 244 patients underwent conventional surgery. The pooled outcomes demonstrate 3D print-assisted surgery was superior to conventional surgery in terms of operation time [WMD = - 26.16, 95% CI (- 33.19, - 19.14), P < 0.001], blood loss [WMD = - 63.91, 95% CI (- 79.55, - 48.27), P < 0.001], postoperative functional scores [WMD = 8.16, 95% CI (5.04, 11.29), P < 0.001], postoperative visual analogue score (VAS) [WMD = - 0.59, 95% CI (- 1.18, - 0.01), P = 0.05], rate of excellent and good outcome [RR = 1.20, 95% CI (1.07, 1.34), P = 0.002], and rate of anatomic reduction [RR = 1.35, 95% CI (1.19, 1.53), P < 0.001]. However, there was no significant difference between the groups regarding the rate of infection [RR = 0.51, 95% CI (0.20, 1.31), P = 0.16], fracture union time [WMD = - 0.85, 95% CI (- 1.79, 0.08), P = 0.07], traumatic arthritis [RR = 0.34, 95% CI (0.06, 2.09), P = 0.24], and malunion [RR = 0.34, 95% CI (0.06, 2.05), P = 0.24].

conclusionsOur meta-analysis demonstrates 3D print-assisted surgery was significantly better than conventional surgery in terms of operation time, blood loss, postoperative functional score, postoperative VAS, rate of excellent and good outcome, and rate of anatomic reduction. Concerning postoperative complications, there were no significant differences between the groups.

Indexed as

Ankle FracturesHumansOperative TimePostoperative ComplicationsPreoperative CarePrinting, Three-DimensionalRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicTibial FracturesTreatment Outcome3D printingComputer-assistedPilon fracturesSurgeryThree-dimensional

Identifiers

PMID30419933
PMCPMC6233356
OpenAlexW2901665982

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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.