Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32742430›Full record

ArticleStrategies in trauma and limb reconstruction

Outcomes Following Treatment of Complex Tibial Fractures with Circular External Fixation: A Comparison between the Taylor Spatial Frame and TrueLok-Hex.

Jaco Naude, Muhammad Manjra, Franz F Birkholtz, Annette-Christy Barnard, Vaida Glatt, Kevin Tetsworth, Erik Hohmann

Open access · diamondAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Strategies in trauma and limb reconstruction. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
1.7field-weighted citation impact, top 15% 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

7 citing papers in PubMed, 18 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. A Review and Comparison of Hexapod External Fixators.Journal of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America · 2023
    Review
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. 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 3 countries.

Jaco NaudeDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.
Muhammad ManjraDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.
Franz F BirkholtzDepartment of Trauma and Orthopaedics, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa; Walk-a-Mile Centre for Advanced Orthopaedics, Centurion, South Africa.
Annette-Christy BarnardDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Walk-a-Mile Centre for Advanced Orthopaedics, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.
Vaida GlattDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA.
Kevin TetsworthDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Royal Brisbane Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Erik HohmannMedical School, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.
University of Pretoria · ZARoyal Brisbane and Women's Hospital · AUThe University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimThe purpose of this study was to compare the functional and radiological outcomes of complex tibia fractures treated with two different hexapod fixators. MATERIAL AND

methodsThis is a retrospective comparative study of patients treated for complex tibial fractures between 2010 and 2015. Inclusion criteria was patients between 18 years and 60 years of age, who sustained a complex comminuted open or closed tibial fracture with or without bone loss, who had a minimum of 12 months' follow-up, and who have been treated definitively using either Taylor Spatial Frame (TSF) or TrueLok-Hexapod System (TL-HEX). The outcome measures were Association for the Study and Application of the Method of Ilizarov (ASAMI) score, foot function index (FFI), EQ5-D, four-step square test (FSST), and timed up and go (TUG) test. Descriptive statistics were used to assess patient demographic information. Categorical variables (ASAMI and EQ5D-5L) were analysed using the

resultsIn all, 24 patients were treated with the TL-HEX and 21 with the TSF. The mean time for external fixation was 219 ± 107 days (TL-HEX) and 222 ± 98 days (TSF). Union occurred in 92% (TL-HEX) and 100% (TSF). The mean follow-up was 777 ± 278 days (TL-HEX) and 1211 ± 388 days (TSF). Using the ASAMI scores, there were 17 excellent and 6 good results for the TL-HEX and 10 excellent and 11 good results for the TSF (

conclusionThe results of this study suggest that both hexapod external fixation devices have comparable clinical, functional, and radiographic outcomes. Either fixator can be used for the treatment of complex tibial fractures, anticipating good and excellent clinical outcomes in approximately 80% patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic level III. HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Naude J, Manjra M, Birkholtz FF,

Indexed as

Circular external fixationComplex tibial fracturesTaylor spatial frameTrueLok-Hex

Identifiers

PMID32742430
PMCPMC7368362
OpenAlexW3034440041

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

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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.