ArticleBMC musculoskeletal disorders2025
A minimally invasive technique for correcting extra-articular malunions of metacarpal fractures.
Article in BMC musculoskeletal disorders, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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.
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.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeThis study aimed to assess the efficiency of a minimally invasive technique for correcting malunions of extra-articular metacarpal fractures, followed by percutaneous fixation using a cemented K-wire frame.
methodsFrom January 2018 to January 2022, 31 patients (31 malunions of extra-articular metacarpal fractures) were treated. The mean age of the patients was 32 years (range, 21-52 years). There were 25 fifth, 4 fourth, 1 third, and 1 second metacarpal malunion. Range of motion of the fingers was assessed based on the total active motion scoring system of American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Range of motion of the joint was graded as excellent (85-100%), good (70-84%), fair (50-69%), and poor (< 50%) by comparing to the opposite uninjured finger. The aesthetic appearance of the hand was evaluated based on the 10-cm visual analogue scale. Patient satisfaction was assessed using the Short Assessment of Patient Satisfaction (0-10, very dissatisfied; 11-18, dissatisfied; 19-26, satisfied; and 27-28, very satisfied).
resultsBone healing was achieved in all patients after a mean of 5.4 weeks (range, 4-10 weeks). The mean follow-up period was 27 months (range, 24-33 months). The mean preoperative total active motion scale was 233° (range, 185°-288°), and the postoperative scale was 263° (range, 235°-290°). There were 8 excellent, 19 good, and 1 fair result. There were 15 very satisfied and 13 satisfied with the results. The mean preoperative aesthetic appearance of the hand was 7 cm (range, 5-8 cm), and the postoperative appearance was 10 cm (range, 9-10 cm).
conclusionThe minimally invasive technique is effective for correcting extra-articular malunions of metacarpal fractures. Rigid fixation allows fracture healing and early joint motion of the injured hand. The technique improves hand function, patient satisfaction, and aesthetic appearance. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic study, Level IVa.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.