Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38451310›Full record

ArticleInternational orthopaedics2024

Safety and effectiveness of the three-dimensional-printed guide plate-assisted rotation axis positioning of a hinged external fixator for the elbow.

Pengcheng Ma, Jiachun Zheng, Huizhi Chen, Weijie Yang, Hongwei Gao

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in International orthopaedics, 2024. 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
0.7field-weighted citation impact, top 27% 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

3 citing papers in PubMed, 3 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
  2. Evaluating 3D-Printed Guide Plates in Elbow Fixation: A Comparative Study.Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research · 2025
    Article
  3. 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

5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Pengcheng MaDepartment of Trauma Surgery, Shandong Public Health Clinical Center, Jinan, Shandong, China.
Jiachun ZhengDepartment of Trauma Surgery, Shandong Public Health Clinical Center, Jinan, Shandong, China.
Huizhi ChenDepartment of Trauma Surgery, Shandong Public Health Clinical Center, Jinan, Shandong, China.
Weijie YangDepartment of Trauma Surgery, Shandong Public Health Clinical Center, Jinan, Shandong, China.
Hongwei GaoDepartment of Trauma Surgery, Shandong Public Health Clinical Center, Jinan, Shandong, China. gaohongwei202210@163.com.
Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeWe aimed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of three-dimensional (3D)-printed guide plates for assisting in the positioning of the rotation axis of an elbow-hinged external fixator.

methodsTerrible triad (TT) patients, who were screened using the predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, underwent installation of a hinged external fixator on the basis of internal fixation; 3D-printed guide plates, generated from the patient's imaging data, assisted in positioning the rotation axis. All patients received the same peri-operative management and were followed up at six, 12, 24, and 48 weeks postoperatively. The duration of positioning pin placement, the number of fluoroscopies, pin placement success rate, types and incidence of post-operative complications, and the Mayo elbow performance score (MEPS) of the diseased elbow and range of motion (ROM) of both elbows were assessed.

resultsIn 25 patients who completed the follow-up, the average time required for positioning pin placement was 329.32 ± 42.38 s (263-443 s), the average number of fluoroscopies was 2.32 ± 0.48 times (2-3 times), and the pin placement success rate was 100%. At the last follow-up, the mean MEPS of the diseased elbow was 97.50 ± 6.92 (75-100), with an excellent and good rate of 100%, and all patients demonstrated stable concentric reduction. The average range of flexion and extension was 135.08° ± 17.10° (77-146°), while the average range of rotation was 169.21° ± 18.14° (108-180°). No significant difference was observed in the average ROM between the both elbows (P > 0.05). Eight (32%) patients developed post-operative complications, including elbow stiffness due to heterotopic ossification in three (12%) patients, all of whom did not require secondary intervention.

conclusionUtilizing 3D-printed guide plates for positioning the rotation axis of an elbow-hinged external fixator significantly reduced intra-operative positioning pin placement time and the number of fluoroscopies with excellent positioning results. Satisfactory results were also obtained in terms of post-operative complications, elbow ROM, and functional scores.

Indexed as

Elbow JointExternal FixatorsPrinting, Three-DimensionalRange of Motion, ArticularAdultAgedBone PlatesElbow InjuriesFemaleFracture FixationHumansMaleMiddle AgedRotationTreatment OutcomeElbow injuriesExternal fixatorsPrintingPrognosisRotation axisThree-dimensional

Identifiers

PMID38451310
OpenAlexW4392561552

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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.