Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41379825›Full record

ArticlePloS one2025

Limb swelling consistent with posttraumatic lymphedema after closed upper and lower extremity fractures: A retrospective cohort study.

Felix Reinkemeier, Christoph Wallner, Marius Drysch, Sonja Verena Schmidt, Flemming Puscz, Maxi von Glinski, Thomas Armin Schildhauer, Marcus Lehnhardt, Björn Behr, Johannes Maximilian Wagner

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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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

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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

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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

10 authors.

Felix ReinkemeierDepartment of Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery, BG-University Hospital Bergmannsheil, Bochum, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2265-725X
Christoph WallnerDepartment of Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery, BG-University Hospital Bergmannsheil, Bochum, Germany.
Marius DryschDepartment of Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery, BG-University Hospital Bergmannsheil, Bochum, Germany.
Sonja Verena SchmidtDepartment of Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery, BG-University Hospital Bergmannsheil, Bochum, Germany.
Flemming PusczDepartment of Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery, BG-University Hospital Bergmannsheil, Bochum, Germany.
Maxi von GlinskiDepartment of Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery, BG-University Hospital Bergmannsheil, Bochum, Germany.
Thomas Armin SchildhauerDepartment of General and Trauma Surgery, BG-University Hospital Bergmannsheil, Bochum, Germany.
Marcus LehnhardtDepartment of Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery, BG-University Hospital Bergmannsheil, Bochum, Germany.
Björn BehrDepartment of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, EVK Essen, Essen, Germany.
Johannes Maximilian WagnerDepartment of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, EVK Essen, Essen, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionSecondary lymphedema is a very common clinical issue with millions of patients suffering from pain, recurrent skin infections, and the constant need for a decongestive therapy. Well- established because of oncologic procedures, secondary lymphedema is also a well-known phenomenon after trauma. However, precise epidemiological data of posttraumatic lymphedema upon severe extremity injuries are rare.

methodsIn the present study, we analyzed a patient cohort of 223 individuals who suffered closed fractures of the upper and lower extremity between 2016 and 2020. All of them simultaneously had a soft tissue injury, of 2nd and 3rd grade according to Tscherne classification. Typical symptoms of lymphedema were recorded in a retrospective cohort analysis through patient anamnesis and compared with documented clinical examination findings. Previous illnesses and trauma-specific characteristics were determined from patient files.

resultsOf all patients, 36% showed symptoms of secondary lymphedema and 8,5% reported recurrent skin infections, indicating severe lymphedema. Furthermore, comparing patients with and without lymphedema, additional trauma-associated parameters, such as total number of surgeries, degree of soft tissue damage, localization of the fracture in lower extremity, related to lymphedema progress could be identified.

conclusionAccording to these data, posttraumatic secondary lymphedema has even in closed fractures, especially of the lower extremity, a highly underestimated clinical prevalence. Further prospective studies are required to validate these findings, identify high-risk groups, and guide early prophylactic and therapeutic interventions.

Indexed as

Fractures, BoneFractures, ClosedLower ExtremityLymphedemaUpper ExtremityAdolescentAdultAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesYoung Adult

Identifiers

PMID41379825
PMCPMC12697936

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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.