Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41033087›Full record

Observational studyInjury2025

Remote monitoring of bone healing via bending with direct electromagnetic coupling sensing in an exploratory tibial fracture study.

Kevin M Labus, Julie Dunn, Milan Ilić, Branislav M Notaroš, Kirk C McGilvray, Christian M Puttlitz

Abstract readObservational Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in Injury, 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

6 authors.

Kevin M LabusDepartment of Mechanical Engineering and School of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA. Electronic address: Kevin.Labus@colostate.edu.
Julie DunnTrauma and Acute Care Surgery, University of Colorado Health North, Loveland, CO, USA.
Milan IlićSchool of Electrical Engineering, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
Branislav M NotarošDepartment of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
Kirk C McGilvrayDepartment of Mechanical Engineering and School of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
Christian M PuttlitzDepartment of Mechanical Engineering and School of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA; Department of Clinical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.

Funding

A telemedicine approach for monitoring fracture healing via direct electromagnetic couplingR21AR077323 · NIAMS · COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY · PI PUTTLITZ, CHRISTIAN · 2020 to 2021
$348k
NIAMS NIH HHS R21 AR077323
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of longitudinal bending measurements to monitor the progression of fracture healing. Standard methods for evaluating bone healing rely on the assessment of radiographs, which is subjective in nature and intractable during the first several weeks of healing due to the delayed timeframe of radiographically visible mineralization. In contrast, bending measurements can provide a direct objective measurement of fracture stability that is sensitive to soft callus formation during the acute healing phase.

methodsIn this study, a direct electromagnetic coupling (DEC) sensing system, which measures bending compliance, was evaluated in an exploratory observational study of diaphyseal tibial fracture patients. Longitudinal measurements were obtained from five patients at their clinical visits and remotely from 14 patients in their homes.

resultsThe DEC bending data satisfied repeatability criteria of less than 10 % precision error in 12 of 14 remote patients. As expected, bending compliance decreased with time for 17 of 18 fractures that resulted in union. One fracture resulted in non-union, and the corresponding bending compliance increased with time. The bending compliance rate of change, determined as early as 4 weeks post-injury, detected significant differences between patients with and without non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use and between patients with and without co-morbidities.

conclusionsThese results demonstrated the feasibility of remote bending measurements using DEC, which provide a precise metric of early fracture healing rate that may be invaluable for clinical patient management and as an outcome measure in clinical research.

Indexed as

Fracture HealingRemote Sensing TechnologyTibial FracturesAdultAgedBiomechanical PhenomenaFeasibility StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedReproducibility of Resultsbendingfracturefracture healingfracture monitoringremote monitoringtibia

Identifiers

PMID41033087
PMCPMC13387021

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.