Table 3: Summary of secondary operation and complication rates, and functional outcome in trials comparing operative interventions
StudySecondary operationsRisk ratio(95% CI)Complications not requiring surgical interventionRisk ratio (95% CI)Functional outcome: constant score (1 yr)Mean difference (95% CI)
Assobhi et al.37
AI reconstruction plate (n = 19)1 nonunion1 wound infection and implant loosening0.67(0.13 to 3.55)1 nonunion1.00 (0.23 to 4.34)89.8 (11.3)-5.60(-11.21 to 0.01)
RTEN (n = 19)3 prominent nailsNR95.5 (5.3)
Bi et al.38
Retrograde percutaneous pin (n = 101)NRNANR0.11(0.01 to 2.02)NRNA
Kirshner pin (n = 100)NR4 nonunionsNR
Ferran et al.39
Rockwood pin (n = 17)1 implant loosening0.22(0.06 to 0.88)NR0.22(0.06 to 0.88)92.1 (6)*3.4(-2.02 to 8.82)
LCDCP (n = 15)3 superficial infections1 persistent pain4 hardware irritationNR88.7 (9.1)*
Jiang et al.40
MIPPO (n = 32)LCP (n = 32)NRNRNANRNRNA96†95.7†0.30(-4.70 to 5.30)
Shen et al.41
3D contoured cortical plate (n = 67)1 delayed union0.12(0.02 to 0.96)3 "symptomatic patients"0.20(0.06 to 0.65)NRNA
Superior reconstruction plate (n = 66)8 delayed unions15 "symptomatic patients"

Note: AI = antero-inferior surface, LCDCP = limited contact dynamic compression plate, LCP = locking compression plate, MIPPO = minimally invasive percutaneous plate osteosynthesis, NA = not applicable, NR = not reported, RTEN = retrograde titanium elastic nail.

*Unclear as to whether this was at 1-year assessment.

†No standard deviation reported; means were abstracted from graphical analyses.