Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34223427›Full record

ArticleJSES international2021

Plates vs. nails in humeral shaft fractures: Do plates lead to a better shoulder function?

Juan M Patino, Juan C Ramella, Alejandro E Michelini, Ignacio M Abdon, Emanuel Fedum Rodriguez, Alejandro F Rullan Corna

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in JSES international, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.8field-weighted citation impact, top 29% 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, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 8 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Nonunion and Postoperative Complications Associated With Intramedullary Nailing Versus Plate Fixation of Humeral Shaft Fractures.Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Global research & reviews · 2025
    Article
  4. Humerus shaft fractures, approaches and management.Journal of clinical orthopaedics and trauma · 2023
    Review
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

6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Juan M PatinoDepartamento de Ortopedia y Traumatologia, Servicio de cirugía de la mano y miembro superior, Unidad de Hombro y Codo, Hospital Militar Central "Cosme Argerich", Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Juan C RamellaDepartamento de Ortopedia y Traumatologia, Servicio de cirugía de la mano y miembro superior, Unidad de Hombro y Codo, Hospital Militar Central "Cosme Argerich", Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Alejandro E MicheliniDepartamento de Ortopedia y Traumatologia, Servicio de cirugía de la mano y miembro superior, Unidad de Hombro y Codo, Hospital Militar Central "Cosme Argerich", Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Ignacio M AbdonDepartamento de Ortopedia y Traumatologia, Servicio de cirugía de la mano y miembro superior, Unidad de Hombro y Codo, Hospital Militar Central "Cosme Argerich", Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Emanuel Fedum RodriguezDepartamento de Ortopedia y Traumatologia, Servicio de cirugía de la mano y miembro superior, Unidad de Hombro y Codo, Hospital Militar Central "Cosme Argerich", Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Alejandro F Rullan CornaDepartamento de Ortopedia y Traumatologia, Servicio de cirugía de la mano y miembro superior, Unidad de Hombro y Codo, Hospital Militar Central "Cosme Argerich", Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Argerich Hospital · AR

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe purpose of this study was to compare shoulder outcomes and function after humeral shaft fractures treated with plates and screws vs. antegrade nailing.

methodsA group of 27 patients treated with plates and a group of 30 patients (previously published) who had undergone antegrade locked intramedullary nailing, all with acute humeral shaft fractures, were retrospectively compared. Final shoulder range of motion (ROM), full shoulder ROM recovery rate, functional outcomes, residual pain, complications, and elbow flexion-extension range were also analyzed.

resultsThere were a total of 57 patients: 27 cases in the plate (P) group and 30 in the nail (N) group (average age, 41.9 years).There were 66.7% men in group N and 63.0% in group P. The average age was 38 years (interquartile range [IQR] 28) in group N and 37 years (IQR 55) in group P. There were no differences in follow-up between groups, which averaged 28 months (IQR 7) in group P and 30 months (IQR 2) in group N (

conclusionsTreatment with plates in this comparative study led to a better ROM in the shoulder and fewer complications. Loss of shoulder motion may be expected after humeral shaft osteosynthesis. However, the functional scores and the healing index can be good and excellent with both techniques.

Indexed as

Fracture fixationHumeral shaft fracturesInternal fixationNailingPlatesPlates vs. nailShoulder outcomesShoulder range of motion

Identifiers

PMID34223427
PMCPMC8245902
OpenAlexW3151361726

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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.