Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34088275›Full record

ArticleBMC musculoskeletal disorders2021

The effect of surgeon-controlled variables on construct stiffness in lateral locked plating of distal femoral fractures.

Michael J Weaver, George W Chaus, Aidin Masoudi, Kaveh Momenzadeh, Amin Mohamadi, Edward K Rodriguez, Mark S Vrahas, Ara Nazarian

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC musculoskeletal disorders, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
1.8field-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

4 citing papers in PubMed, 14 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. An analytical model of lateral condylar plate working length.Clinical biomechanics (Bristol, Avon) · 2023
    Article
  3. Article
  4. 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 at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Michael J WeaverDepartment of Orthopaedic surgery, Brigham and Womens Hospital, 75 Francis Street, MA, 02115, Boston, USA. mjweaver@partners.org.
George W ChausFrontrange Orthoaedics and Spine, 1610 Dry Creek Drive, CO, 80503, Longmont, USA.
Aidin MasoudiMusculoskeletal Translational Innovation Initiative, Carl J. Shapiro Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Beth Isreal Deconess Medical Center, 330 Brookline Ave, MA, 02215, Boston, USA.
Kaveh MomenzadehMusculoskeletal Translational Innovation Initiative, Carl J. Shapiro Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Beth Isreal Deconess Medical Center, 330 Brookline Ave, MA, 02215, Boston, USA.
Amin MohamadiMusculoskeletal Translational Innovation Initiative, Carl J. Shapiro Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Beth Isreal Deconess Medical Center, 330 Brookline Ave, MA, 02215, Boston, USA.
Edward K RodriguezMusculoskeletal Translational Innovation Initiative, Carl J. Shapiro Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Beth Isreal Deconess Medical Center, 330 Brookline Ave, MA, 02215, Boston, USA.
Mark S VrahasCedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Blvd, CA, 90048, Los Angeles, USA.
Ara NazarianMusculoskeletal Translational Innovation Initiative, Carl J. Shapiro Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Beth Isreal Deconess Medical Center, 330 Brookline Ave, MA, 02215, Boston, USA.
Brigham and Women's Hospital · USCedars-Sinai Medical Center · USYerevan State Medical University · AM

Funding

AO North America (US) Fellowship Grant
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundNonunion following treatment of supracondylar femur fractures with lateral locked plates (LLP) has been reported to be as high as 21 %. Implant related and surgeon-controlled variables have been postulated to contribute to nonunion by modulating fracture-fixation construct stiffness. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of surgeon-controlled factors on stiffness when treating supracondylar femur fractures with LLPs: 1. Does plate length affect construct stiffness given the same plate material, fracture working length and type of screws? 2. Does screw type (bicortical locking versus bicortical nonlocking or unicortical locking) and number of screws affect construct stiffness given the same material, fracture working length, and plate length? 3. Does fracture working length affect construct stiffness given the same plate material, length and type of screws? 4. Does plate material (titanium versus stainless steel) affect construct stiffness given the same fracture working length, plate length, type and number of screws?

methodsMechanical study of simulated supracondylar femur fractures treated with LLPs of varying lengths, screw types, fractureworking lenghts, and plate/screw material. Overall construct stiffness was evaluated using an Instron hydraulic testing apparatus.

resultsStiffness was 15 % higher comparing 13-hole to the 5-hole plates (995 N/mm849N vs. /mm, p = 0.003). The use of bicortical nonlocking screws decreased overall construct stiffness by 18 % compared to bicortical locking screws (808 N/mm vs. 995 N/mm, p = 0.0001). The type of screw (unicortical locking vs. bicortical locking) and the number of screws in the diaphysis (3 vs. 10) did not appear to significantly influence construct stiffness (p = 0.76, p = 0.24). Similarly, fracture working length (5.4 cm vs. 9.4 cm, p = 0.24), and implant type (titanium vs. stainless steel, p = 0.12) did also not appear to effect stiffness. DISCUSSION: Using shorter plates and using bicortical nonlocking screws (vs. bicortical locking screws) reduced overall construct stiffness. Using more screws, using unicortical locking screws, increasing fracture working length and varying plate material (titanium vs. stainless steel) does not appear to significantly alter construct stiffness. Surgeons can adjust plate length and screw types to affect overall fracture-fixation construct stiffness; however, the optimal stiffness to promote healing remains unknown.

Indexed as

Femoral FracturesSurgeonsBiomechanical PhenomenaBone ScrewsFracture Fixation, InternalHumansBiomechanicsDistal FemurFractureLateral Locked PlatingLISSNonunionSupracondylar Femur

Identifiers

PMID34088275
PMCPMC8176588
OpenAlexW3165540692

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.