Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34875731›Full record

ArticleClinics in shoulder and elbow2021

Soft-tissue coverage for wound complications following total elbow arthroplasty.

Arno A Macken, Jonathan Lans, Satoshi Miyamura, Kyle R Eberlin, Neal C Chen

Open access · diamondAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Clinics in shoulder and elbow, 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
0.6field-weighted citation impact, top 30% 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, 5 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Review of bone deficiency in total elbow arthroplasty revision.JSES reviews, reports, and techniques · 2023
    Review
  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

5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Arno A MackenOrthopedic Hand and Upper Extremity Service, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Jonathan LansOrthopedic Hand and Upper Extremity Service, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Satoshi MiyamuraOrthopedic Hand and Upper Extremity Service, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Kyle R EberlinPlastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Neal C ChenOrthopedic Hand and Upper Extremity Service, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Harvard University · US

Funding

AxoGen, Integra, and CheckpointFlexion Medical, Miami Device Solutions
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIn patients with total elbow arthroplasty (TEA), the soft-tissue around the elbow can be vulnerable to soft-tissue complications. This study aims to assess the outcomes after soft-tissue reconstruction following TEA.

methodsWe retrospectively included nine adult patients who underwent soft-tissue reconstruction following TEA. Demographic data and disease characteristics were collected through medical chart reviews. Additionally, we contacted all four patients that were alive at the time of the study by phone to assess any current elbow complications. Local tissue rearrangement was used for soft-tissue reconstruction in six patients, and a pedicle flap was used in three patients. The median follow-up period was 1.3 years (range, 6 months-14.7 years).

resultsSeven patients (78%) underwent reoperation. Four patients (44%) had a reoperation for soft-tissue complications, including dehiscence or nonhealing of infected wounds. Five patients (56%) had a reoperation for implant-related complications, including three infections and two peri-prosthetic fractures. At the final follow-ups, six patients (67%) achieved successful wound healing and two patients had continued wound healing issues, while two patients had an antibiotic spacer in situ and one patient underwent an above-the-elbow amputation.

conclusionsThis study reports a complication rate of 78% for soft-tissue reconstructions after TEA. Successful soft-tissue healing was achieved in 67% of patients, but at the cost of multiple surgeries. Early definitive soft-tissue reconstruction could prove to be preferable to minor interventions such as irrigation, debridement, and local tissue advancement, or smaller soft-tissue reconstructions using local tissue rearrangement or a pedicled flap at a later stage.

Indexed as

ArthroplastyElbowReconstructive surgical proceduresSurgical wound dehiscenceSurgical wound infection

Identifiers

PMID34875731
PMCPMC8651597
OpenAlexW3214957441

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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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.