ArticleJournal of pediatric orthopedics2026
Treatment of Unstable Tibia Shaft Fractures in Children With Elastic Stable Intramedullary Nails or Minimally Invasive Plate Osteosynthesis: Comparative Study on 2 Treatment Options.
Article in Journal of pediatric orthopedics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Clinical and Radiographic Outcomes of ESIN, Plate, and K-Wire Fixation in Pediatric Tibial DDMJ Fractures: A Retrospective Comparative Study.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionTibial shaft fractures are common fractures in children. The optimal management should be selected based on the fracture type, the child's weight, and the presence of open growth plates. When surgical treatment is indicated, elastic-stable intramedullary nailing (ESIN) is considered the generally preferred method in children with open physes. However, in some cases, alternative treatment may be required.
aimThe aim of this study was to compare the outcomes of tibial shaft fractures in children treated with ESIN versus minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis (MIPO).
methodsFifty-nine children were treated for unstable tibial shaft fractures between 2018 and 2023 (27 with MIPO and 32 with ESIN). Patients' demographics, fracture type, surgery duration, and complications were recorded based on medical records. Bone healing, tibial axis, and implant position were assessed on follow-up radiographs. Functional outcomes were evaluated using the EFAS Questionnaire at 3.7±1.8 years (range: 1.0 to 6.8) after surgery.
resultsBone union was achieved in all patients. The total complication rate was 7.4% in the MIPO group and 15.6% in the ESIN group ( P =0.4365). No reoperations were required in the MIPO group, while 12.5% of patients in the ESIN group required reoperation ( P =0.1176). A plaster cast was applied in 46.9% of ESIN patients and in none of the MIPO patients. The surgery duration was significantly longer in the MIPO group (79.0 vs. 41.8 min in the ESIN group; P =0.0001). There was no significant difference in the final tibial axis at the final follow-up (2 ESIN patients underwent reoperation for axis correction). There was no significant difference in EFAS Questionnaire scores: 38.1±2.1 in the MIPO group versus 36.5±3.9 in the ESIN group ( P =0.1235).
conclusionsMinimally invasive plate osteosynthesis is a promising alternative to elastic-stable intramedullary nails in the most severe, unstable tibial shaft fractures. Plating provides better stabilization without the need for a plaster cast; however, surgery time is longer. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.
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.