ArticleJournal of orthopaedic case reports2026
Functional Outcome of Retrograde Femoral Nailing Versus Minimally Invasive Percutaneous Plate Osteosynthesis in Extra-Articular Distal Femur Fractures: A Prospective Quasi-Randomized Comparative Study.
Article in Journal of orthopaedic case reports, 2026. 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
Introduction: Distal femur fractures represent a challenging injury due to their proximity to the knee joint and the need to restore limb alignment and function. Surgical management has evolved with techniques such as retrograde femoral nailing (RFN) and minimally invasive percutaneous plate osteosynthesis (MIPPO). Both techniques aim to achieve stable fixation while preserving soft tissue and vascularity. We performed an analysis on both groups (30 patients each), and our primary objectives compared were radiological union time, weight-bearing, and functional outcome using NEER's score. Our secondary objectives were complications, surgical time, and fluoroscopy exposure. Materials and Methods: This prospective comparative study included 60 patients with extra-articular distal femur fractures treated at a tertiary care center. Patients were divided into two groups using an alternate allocation method: (1) Group A: RFN (n = 30). (2) Group B: MIPPO with locking plate (n = 30). Results: Patients treated with RFN demonstrated earlier initiation of partial and full weight-bearing and earlier fracture union compared with the MIPPO group. Functional outcomes assessed by NEER's score were better in the RFN group at 6 weeks and 3 months, while both groups showed comparable results by 6 months follow-up. Complications observed included superficial infection, knee stiffness, malunion, and non-union. Conclusion: Both RFN and MIPPO are effective methods for treating extra-articular distal femur fractures. RFN allows earlier mobilization and functional recovery, while MIPPO preserves fracture biology and soft-tissue integrity. The choice of technique should be individualized based on fracture pattern, patient factors, and surgeon experience. Larger multicenter trials with longer follow-up are needed to confirm these findings.
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.