Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37403105›Full record

ArticleJournal of cardiothoracic surgery2023

If we should remove internal fixation devices for rib fractures?

Yang Li, Kaile Jiang, Tiancheng Zhao, Xiang Guo, Kaibin Liu, Yonghong Zhao

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of cardiothoracic surgery, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
1.6field-weighted citation impact, top 17% 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

2 citing papers in PubMed, 5 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
  2. Outcomes of internal rib fixation through complete video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for multiple rib fractures and flail chest in severe chest trauma.European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society · 2025
    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

6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Yang Li *Department of Thoracic surgery, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China.
Kaile Jiang *Department of Thoracic surgery, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China.
Tiancheng ZhaoDepartment of Thoracic surgery, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China. drryanz@163.com.
Xiang GuoDepartment of Thoracic surgery, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China.
Kaibin LiuDepartment of Thoracic surgery, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China.
Yonghong ZhaoDepartment of Thoracic surgery, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China.
Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital · CN

Funding

Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital ynlc201908
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundInternal fixation for rib fractures has been widely carried out worldwide, and its surgical efficacy has been recognized. However, there is still controversy about whether implant materials need to be removed. At present, the research on this topic is still lacking at home and abroad. Therefore, in this study, the patients undergoing removal of internal fixation for rib fractures in our department within one year were followed up, to statistically analyze implant-related complications, postoperative complications and postoperative remission rate.

methodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on 143 patients undergoing removal of internal fixation for rib fractures from 2020 to 2021 in our center. The implant-related complications, postoperative complications and postoperative remission rate of patients with internal fixation were analyzed.

resultsIn this study, a total of 143 patients underwent removal of internal fixation, among which 73 suffered from preoperative implant-related complications (foreign-body sensation, pain, wound numbness, sense of tightness, screw slippage, chest tightness, implant rejection), and 70 had no post operative discomfort but asked for removal of internal fixation. The average interval between rib fixation and removal was 17 ± 9.00 (months), and the average number of removed materials was 5.29 ± 2.42. Postoperative complications included wound infection (n = 1) and pulmonary embolism (n = 1). of the 73 patients with preoperative implant-related complications, the mean postoperative remission rate was 82%. Among the 70 patients without preoperative discomfort, the proportion of discomforts after removal was 10%. No perioperative death occurred.

conclusionFor patients with internal fixation for rib fractures, removal of internal fixation can be considered in the case of implant-related complications after surgery. The corresponding symptoms can be relieved after removal. The removal presents low complication rate, and high safety and reliability. For patients without obvious symptoms, it is safe to retain the internal fixation in the body. For the asymptomatic patients who ask for removal of internal fixation, the possible risk of complications should be fully informed before removal.

Indexed as

Rib FracturesFracture Fixation, InternalHumansInternal FixatorsPostoperative ComplicationsReproducibility of ResultsRetrospective StudiesImplant-related complicationPostoperative complicationsRemoval of internal fixationRib fracture

Identifiers

PMID37403105
PMCPMC10318814
OpenAlexW4383187439

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.