Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39035864›Full record

ReviewJournal of hand and microsurgery2024

Evaluating Kirschner wire fixation versus titanium plating and screws for unstable phalangeal fractures: A systematic review and meta-analysis of postoperative outcomes.

Hatan Mortada, Taif Fawaz AlNojaidi, Gaurang Bhatt, Anas Bafail, Piyush Koorapaty, Lamyaa Abdullah Alsanad, Faisal Almehaid, Saad Alrobaiea, Rayan Alalola, Abdullah E Kattan

Abstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Journal of hand and microsurgery, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

10 authors.

Hatan MortadaDivision of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, King Saud University Medical City and Department of Plastic Surgery & Burn Unit, King Saud Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Taif Fawaz AlNojaidiDepartment of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Gaurang BhattDepartment of Burns and Plastic Surgery, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh, India.
Anas BafailCollege of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Piyush KoorapatyImperial College School of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
Lamyaa Abdullah AlsanadFaculty of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Faisal AlmehaidDepartment of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Saad AlrobaieaDepartment of Plastic Surgery and Burn Unit, Security Forces Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Rayan AlalolaDepartment of Plastic Surgery, Security Forces hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Abdullah E KattanDivision of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Unstable phalangeal fractures represent a clinical challenge in hand surgery. The choice of fixation method, whether Kirschner wire (K-wire) fixation or titanium plating with screws, often depends on surgeon preference due to the lack of comprehensive comparative data. This article aimed to compare the postoperative outcomes of K-wire fixation versus titanium plating and screws in the treatment of unstable phalangeal fractures. Methods: This review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines for reporting systematic reviews and meta-analyses. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the existing literature was done encompassing PUBMED, EMBASE, Google Scholar, and Cochrane library using the keywords: "K wire/ Kirschner wire", "titanium plate/ screws", "Miniplate/ screws", and "Unstable phalan∗ fracture/ hand fracture". Results: After screening 2374 articles, 6 final studies with a total of 414 patients were included. Operative time was significantly shorter with K-wire fixation compared to plating, by a mean difference of -27.03 ​min [95% CI -43.80, -10.26] (p ​= ​0.02). Time to radiographic union averaged 7.43 weeks with K-wires versus 8.21 weeks with titanium plates. No statistically significant differences emerged between groups for overall complications (p ​= ​0.69), infection (p ​= ​0.47), malunion (p ​= ​0.36), stiffness (p ​= ​0.11), or need for reoperation (p ​= ​0.10). Conclusion: K-wire fixation demonstrated shorter mean operating time and faster radiographic union versus plating for unstable phalangeal fractures. These findings can guide surgical decisions and emphasize the need for individualized treatment based on fracture type and patient factors.

Indexed as

Hand fracturesKirschner wiresPhalangeal fracturePlate and screwsTitanium platingUnstable

Identifiers

PMID39035864
PMCPMC11257138

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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.