Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32978652›Full record

Trial reportInternational orthopaedics2021

Intramedullary nailing via suprapatellar approach versus locked plating of proximal extra-articular tibial fractures: a randomized control trial.

Long Cheng, Yan-Hui Li, Yan Chu, Guang Yang, Dong Zhu, Lei Tan

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in International orthopaedics, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
1.6field-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

8 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 20 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Intramedullary nailing versus plate fixation for the treatment of proximal tibia extra-articular fractures: a meta-analysis.European journal of orthopaedic surgery & traumatology : orthopedie traumatologie · 2025
    Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Suprapatellar tibial fracture nailing is associated with lower rate for acute compartment syndrome and the need for fasciotomy compared with the infrapatellar approach.Journal of orthopaedics and traumatology : official journal of the Italian Society of Orthopaedics and Traumatology · 2024
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Long Cheng *Department of Orthopedic Trauma, the First Hospital of Jilin University, No. 71 Xinmin Street, Changchun, Jilin, 130021, China.
Yan-Hui Li *Department of Cardiology and Echocardiography, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China.
Yan ChuDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 136461, China.
Guang YangDepartment of Orthopedic Trauma, the First Hospital of Jilin University, No. 71 Xinmin Street, Changchun, Jilin, 130021, China.
Dong Zhu *Department of Orthopedic Trauma, the First Hospital of Jilin University, No. 71 Xinmin Street, Changchun, Jilin, 130021, China.
Lei TanDepartment of Orthopedic Trauma, the First Hospital of Jilin University, No. 71 Xinmin Street, Changchun, Jilin, 130021, China. tanlei1982@foxmail.com.
Jilin University · CNFirst Hospital of Jilin University · CNSecond Affiliated Hospital of Jilin University · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveCurrently, nailing through the suprapatellar approach and minimally invasive plating have been generally accepted in the management of displaced proximal tibial fractures. This investigation was aimed at comparing these two treatment methods in terms of their effectiveness and safety.

methodsWe randomized 328 patients into one of two groups: one underwent intramedullary nailing via the suprapatellar approach (IMN group), while the other underwent locking compressive plate (LCP group) placement. The primary outcome was the Iowa Knee Score at 12 months. The clinical history, amount of intra-operative blood loss, rate of fracture healing, and post-operative complications were assessed as secondary outcomes. Participants were assessed at one, two, three, six and 12 months after surgery.

resultsFollow-up data for a year were available for 152 and 154 patients in the IMN group and LCP group, respectively. No intergroup difference was detected with regard to the Iowa Knee Scores (91 ± 8.2 in the IMN group and 90 ± 7.3 in the LCP group, respectively (p = 0.26)), at 12 months. Duration of operation (83.5 ± 35.3 min), amount of blood loss (55 ± 43 mL), duration of fluoroscopy (53.7 ± 3.9 s), and cases with difficult reduction (n = 46) in the IMN group did not differ significantly from those in the LCP group (80.1 ± 43.6 min; 65 ± 56 mL; 48 ± 12 s; 32) (p < 0.05). The two groups had similar post-operative complications and rate of fracture union, with the pre-injury activity level being restored in most patients. Removal of the implants was performed in 31.6% and 63.0% of the cases in the IMN and LCP groups, respectively, indicating a significant intergroup difference.

conclusionBoth IMN through the suprapatellar approach and minimally invasive LCP were found to yield no significant intergroup difference of clinical outcomes in the treatment of proximal, extra-articular tibial fractures. However, the requirement of implant removal was more relevant to LCP.

Indexed as

Fracture Fixation, IntramedullaryTibial FracturesBone NailsBone PlatesFracture Fixation, InternalHumansRetrospective StudiesTreatment OutcomeIntramedullary nailLocking plateMIPOProximal extra-articular tibial fracturesRCTSuprapatellar approach

Identifiers

PMID32978652
OpenAlexW3088449870

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.