Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36330721›Full record

ArticleClinics in shoulder and elbow2022

What is the interobserver agreement of displaced humeral surgical neck fracture patterns?

Reinier W A Spek, Laura Kim, Traumaplatform 3D Consortium

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Clinics in shoulder and elbow, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Reinier W A SpekDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Flinders Medical Centre and Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia.
Laura KimDepartment of Trauma Surgery, University Medical Centre Groningen and University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Traumaplatform 3D Consortium

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe Boileau classification distinguishes three surgical neck fracture patterns: types A, B, and C. However, the reproducibility of this classification on plain radiographs is unclear. Therefore, we questioned what the interobserver agreement and accuracy of displaced surgical neck fracture patterns is categorized according to the modified Boileau classification. Does the reliability to recognize these fracture patterns differ between orthopedic residents and attending surgeons?

methodsThis interobserver study consisted of a randomly retrieved series of 30 plain radiographs representing clinical practice in a level 1 and a level 2 trauma center. Radiographs were included from patients (≥18 years) who sustained an isolated displaced surgical neck fracture if they were taken ≤1 week after initial injury. A ground truth was established by consensus among three senior orthopedic surgeons. All images were assessed by 17 orthopedic residents and 17 attending orthopedic trauma surgeons.

resultsAgreement for the modified Boileau classification was fair (κ=0.37; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.36-0.38) with an accuracy of 62% (95% CI, 57%-66%). Comparison of interobserver variability between residents and attending surgeons revealed a significant but clinically irrelevant difference in favor of attending surgeons (0.34 vs. 0.39, respectively, Δ κ=0.05, 95% CI, 0.02-0.07).

conclusionsThe modified Boileau classification yields a low interobserver agreement with an unsatisfactory accuracy in a panel of orthopedic residents and attending surgeons. This supports the hypothesis that surgical neck fractures are challenging to categorize and that this classification should not be used to determine prognosis if only plain radiographs are available.

Indexed as

Boileau classificationInterobserver variabilityProximal humerus fractureShaft translationSurgical neck fractures

Identifiers

PMID36330721
PMCPMC9727487

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