Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40457482›Full record

ReviewOrthopaedic surgery2025

Customized 3D-Printed Resurfacing Arthroplasty for the Treatment of Severely Malunited Distal Humerus Associated With Posttraumatic Elbow Stiffness: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Kehan Hua, Jianyu Zhang, Maoqi Gong, Yejun Zha, Xieyuan Jiang

Abstract readCase ReportsReview
In one paragraph

Review in Orthopaedic surgery, 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. 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.

Kehan HuaDepartment of Orthopedic Trauma, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Jianyu ZhangDepartment of Orthopedic Trauma, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Maoqi GongDepartment of Orthopedic Trauma, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Yejun ZhaDepartment of Orthopedic Trauma, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Xieyuan JiangDepartment of Orthopedic Trauma, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2993-1357

Funding

Beijing Jishuitan Research Funding (Elite Young Scholar Programme) XKGG202101Beijing Natural Science Foundation L192049;L244014National Key Research and Development Program of China 2021YFC2501706
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPosttraumatic elbow stiffness together with severe bony deformity of the distal humerus poses a great challenge for elbow surgery specialists. For young and high-demand patients suffering from grievous bony deformity but with no/mild joint degeneration, total elbow arthroplasty is not a suitable option, and hemiarthroplasty often results in a significant amount of bone stock loss, making it difficult to perform a revision procedure. Resurfacing arthroplasty has been applied in the shoulder, hip, and knee joints, as well as the radiocapitellar joint. However, resurfacing arthroplasty for the entire distal humeral articular surface was not available among current clinical studies. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of a 66-year-old male patient who presented with elbow stiffness and grievous malunion of the distal humerus due to delayed treatment after a distal humerus fracture. However, there was only mild joint degeneration observed at the proximal ulna and radius owing to long-term functional impairment. Total elbow replacement was not suitable considering certain inevitable manual labor he must attend. We customized a cementless and stemless resurfacing prosthesis for the distal humerus based on contralateral articular anatomy using a 3D-printing technique with Co-Cr-Mo alloy. The traditional cemented stem was replaced with criss-cross screws to provide primary stability. The bone-implant interface was covered with a 3D-printed trabecular-like porous structure for bone in-growth and several grooves designed for bone grafting, eventually forming a stable multinested mortise-and-tenon joint structure at the bone-implant interface. At the last follow-up, significant improvements in functional outcomes of the elbow joint were observed without any prosthesis-related complications. The patient was able to return to his previous manual labor and reported improved weight-bearing capability of the affected upper limb up to 25 kg without pain or instability. While he complained of postoperative ulnar nerve palsy, the symptom markedly improved at the final follow-up.

conclusionThe novel prosthesis we have designed for resurfacing arthroplasty of the distal humerus can provide adequate primary stability and bone in-growth capability, making it a reliable alternative for patients with severe bony deformity of the distal humerus and no/mild joint degeneration at the proximal ulna and radius, particularly young patients or those with high functional demands.

Indexed as

Arthroplasty, Replacement, ElbowElbow JointFractures, MalunitedHumeral FracturesPrinting, Three-DimensionalAgedElbow InjuriesHemiarthroplastyHumansMaleProsthesis Design3D‐printingdistal humerusmalunionposttraumatic elbow stiffnessresurfacing arthroplasty

Identifiers

PMID40457482
PMCPMC12214421

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.