Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39856437›Full record

Observational studyEuropean journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society2025

Implant irritation and removal rates in operatively treated multiple rib fractures: a 49-month follow-up study.

Felix Peuker, Roelien A Haveman, Roderick M Houwert, Thomas P Bosch, Ruben J Hoepelman, Fabrizio Minervini, Frank J P Beeres, Bryan J M van de Wall, NEXT study group

Abstract readMulticenter StudyObservational Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. 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

9 authors.

Felix PeukerDepartment of Trauma Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands. felix.peuker@luks.ch.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0006-5654-5028
Roelien A HavemanDepartment of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, Cantonal Hospital Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland.
Roderick M HouwertDepartment of Trauma Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Thomas P BoschDepartment of Trauma Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Ruben J HoepelmanDepartment of Trauma Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Fabrizio MinerviniDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, Cantonal Hospital Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland.
Frank J P BeeresDepartment of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, Cantonal Hospital Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland.
Bryan J M van de WallDepartment of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, Cantonal Hospital Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland.
NEXT study group

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeLittle is known about the prevalence, impact and change of the symptoms after implant removal due to irritation in multiple rib fractures. This study aims to explore these aspects to improve treatment decision-making.

methodsData was collected from two hospitals in the Netherlands and Switzerland. The study included only adults with operatively treated multiple rib fractures, regardless of whether the fractures were flail or non-flail. The primary outcome was the incidence of implant removal due to irritation. Secondary outcomes included implant irritation not leading to removal, other postoperative complications, and remission rates after implant removal. These outcomes were assessed during a follow-up phone call using a standardized questionnaire.

resultsHundred-twenty patients were identified, with 83 (69.2%) completing the final follow-up after a median of 49 months (IQR 40-59). Twenty-five (30.1%) patients experienced implant irritation, of whom four (4.8%) got their implant removed. Two (2.4%) reported significant improvement, one (1.2%) moderate, and one (1.2%) no improvement of symptoms.

conclusionImplant irritation in patients with multiple rib fractures is a common problem, even years after surgery, without guaranteed symptom improvement post-removal. These results provide an additional argument to be more selective in offering rib fixation to patients with multiple rib fractures in the first place.

Indexed as

Device RemovalFracture Fixation, InternalFractures, MultiplePostoperative ComplicationsRib FracturesAdultAgedFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansMaleMiddle AgedNetherlandsSwitzerlandImplant irritationImplant removalMultiple rib fracturesRib fixation

Identifiers

PMID39856437
PMCPMC11761822

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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.