Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37074376›Full record

ArticleInternational orthopaedics2023

Clinical trial of a low-cost external fixator for global surgery use.

Giovanni Milandri, P C I Wijesinghe, Dilshan Munidasa, Cinthuja Pathmanathan, Mehdi Saeidi, Anthony M J Bull, Pujitha Silva

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in International orthopaedics, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Development of a low-cost external fixation system: an off-label solution for resource-limited settings.European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
  3. 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

7 authors.

Giovanni MilandriDepartment of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK. milandri@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8928-2865
P C I WijesingheNational Hospital of Sri Lanka, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Dilshan MunidasaNational Hospital of Sri Lanka, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Cinthuja PathmanathanFaculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Mehdi SaeidiDepartment of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK.
Anthony M J BullDepartment of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK.
Pujitha SilvaUniversity of Moratuwa, Moratuwa, Sri Lanka.

Funding

Department of Health 16/137/45
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeA low-cost modular external fixator for the lower limb has been developed for global surgery use. The purpose of this study is to assess outcome measures in the first clinical use of the device.

methodsA prospective cohort study was conducted with patients recruited in two trauma hospitals. Initial clinical procedure data were collected, and patients were followed up every two weeks until 12 weeks or definitive fixation. Follow-up assessed infection, stability, and radiographic outcomes. In addition, patient-reported outcomes and surgeons' feedback on device usability were collected by questionnaires.

resultsThe external fixator was used on 17 patients. Ten were mono-lateral, five were joint spanning, and two were delta configuration. One patient had a pin site infection at 12-week follow-up. All were stable when tested mechanically and using radiographic assessment, and 53% were converted to definitive fixation.

conclusionThe low-cost external fixator developed is appropriate for use in global surgery trauma centres with good clinical outcomes. PROSPECTIVE TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER AND DATE: SLCTR/2021/025 (06 Sep 2021).

Indexed as

External FixatorsFracture FixationHumansOutcome Assessment, Health CareProspective StudiesTreatment OutcomeDamage control orthopaedicsExternal fixatorGlobal surgeryOrthopaedicsTrauma

Identifiers

PMID37074376
PMCPMC10267263

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.