You will be provided with the titles and abstracts of a collection of medical RCT reports studying a clinical question -- for instance, the efficacy of an intervention on some medical outcome. Please write a few sentences synthesizing the findings of these reports, which could serve as a conclusion section for a systematic review article. Your response should not include any other text. The RCT reports are below.



Title 1:
Fracture of the distal radius. A prospective comparison between trans-styloid and Kapandji fixations.
Abstract 1:
We performed a prospective study on 96 patients with extra-articular or intra-articular fractures of the distal radius with a dorsally displaced posteromedial fragment. After closed reduction, we compared trans-styloid fixation and immobilisation with Kapandji fixation and early mobilisation. Forty-two patients of mean age 57.1 years +/- 18.1 (SD) were treated by trans-styloid K-wire fixation and 45 days of short-arm cast immobilisation. Fifty-four patients of mean age 57.7 years +/- 18.7 (SD) had Kapandji fixation and immediate mobilisation according to the originator. All the patients had clinical and radiological review at about six weeks and at 3, 6, 12 and 24 months after the operation. Pain, range of movement and grip strength were tested clinically, and changes in dorsal tilt, radial tilt, ulnar variance, and radial shortening were assessed radiologically. Statistical analysis was applied to comparisons with the normal opposite wrist. Pain and reflex sympathetic dystrophy were more frequent after Kapandji fixation and early mobilisation, but the range of motion was better although this became statistically insignificant after six weeks. The radiological reduction was better soon after Kapandji fixation, but there was some loss of reduction and increased radial shortening during the first three postoperative months. The clinical result at two years was similar in both groups.


Title 2:
Comminuted Colles' fractures: a prospective trial of management.
Abstract 2:
Patients suffering from comminuted fractures of the lower end of the radius were treated by one of two protocols and followed for 6 months. One group was treated by a regime of percutaneous wiring based on the technique described by DePalma. This was compared with the results obtained from the conventional treatment of manipulation and application of plaster of Paris for similar injuries. Final function was found to be closely related to anatomical results and this was obtained earlier and with greater predictability in the wired group. There were statistically significant differences between the two groups at 6 months in extension (P less than 0.001), ulnar deviation (P greater than 0.05), grip strength (P less than 0.001), radial angle (P less than 0.0001), radial length (P less than 0.0001), and dorsal/volar angle (P greater than 0.0001). Using a modified McBride's system of scoring, the results were found to be directly correlated to the anatomical findings at the end of 6 months.


Title 3:
Two procedures for Kirschner wire osteosynthesis of distal radial fractures. A randomized trial.
Abstract 3:
The treatment of displaced Colles-type fractures of the distal part of the radius remains a challenge. Two procedures for closed reduction and Kirschner wire osteosynthesis of these fractures were compared in a prospective randomized study.
                One hundred consecutive patients with a Colles fracture of the distal part of the radius (AO classification 23-A2, 23-A3, or 23-C1) were treated over an eighteen-month period. One group was managed with the conventional method, described by Willenegger and Guggenbuhl in 1959, in which two Kirschner wires are introduced into the styloid process of the radius. The other group was treated with the Kapandji method, as modified by Fritz et al., in which two Kirschner wires are inserted into the fracture gap and a third is placed through the styloid process. Postoperative care was standardized for both groups and carried out according to a strict procedure. Forty patients who had been operated on according to the modified Kapandji method and forty-one treated with the Willenegger technique were available for follow-up, for a follow-up rate of 81%. The follow-up assessment was performed with a modified version of the Martini score.
                The median time to follow-up was ten months (range, six to twenty months). The results as assessed with the Martini score were, on the average, good to very good for the patients treated with the Kapandji method and satisfactory to good for the patients treated with the conventional Kirschner wire fixation. The duration of radiographic exposure was significantly shorter with the Kapandji method than with the Willenegger technique.
                Conventional Kirschner wire fixation remains a good method of osteosynthesis for the treatment of displaced fractures of the distal part of the radius. We found both the functional and radiographic outcomes of the Kapandji method to be significantly better than those of the Willenegger technique.
                Therapeutic study, Level I-1a (randomized controlled trial [significant difference]). See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.


Title 4:
Colles' fracture: management by percutaneous crossed-pin fixation versus plaster of Paris cast immobilization.
Abstract 4:
Colles' fracture is the most common fracture seen in orthopedic practice, but no consensus has been reached on an effective method to maintain the initial reduction achieved. This prospective, randomized study of 50 patients evaluates the efficacy of maintaining reduction and consequent functional end results of two treatment methods, ie, percutaneous crossed-pin fixation followed by plaster of Paris cast immobilization with the wrist in functional position versus conventional plaster of Paris cast immobilization. The anatomical and functional end results were significantly better with percutaneous crossed-pin fixation at final follow-up.


Title 5:
[Metaphysis fracture of the distal radius: Kapandji's or Py's pinning?].
Abstract 5:
The authors report a prospective and randomized study comparing two pinning techniques for fractures of the distal radius. The series compared 42 patients treated by Kapandji's intrafocal pinning (Group I) and 46 patients treated by Py's isoelastic pinning (Group II). Secondary displacement was observed in 7 patients in group I and in 2 patients in Group II. Secondary displacement of K-wire was observed in 6 patients in group I and in no patient in group II. Functional results were analysed according to jakim's criteria. A significant difference was observed between the two groups, for global scores, objectives scores and radiological scores, with better results for Py's pinning. No significant difference was observed for subjective scores advantages of Py's pinning were: stability of isoelastic wires preventing posterior comminution and no need for radioscopic control. Kapandji's pinning is proposed in cases of lower and unstable fractures in teenagers without focal comminution and in T fractures. In the other cases of metaphyseal fractures with posterior displacement, Py's pinning could be proposed.


Title 6:
[Effect of early mobilization following Kapandji's method of intrafocal wiring in fractures of the distal end of the radius. Results of a prospective study of 60 cases].
Abstract 6:
We have undertaken a prospective study of the management of fractures of the distal radius using three Kirschner wires as advocated by Kapandji. 30 were immobilised and the other 30 allowed early movement. Complications involving pin migration and rupture of extensor tendons occurred only in the latter group, and one patient in the other group developed Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy. At three months there was no statistically significant difference in movement or level of pain between the two groups. Grip was better after two months in those mobilised early. The final radiographic appearances were similar in both groups. Early mobilisation should only be used in patients who have good quality bone and will carefully observe instructions after operation.


Title 7:
Unstable extra-articular fractures of the distal radius: a prospective, randomised study of immobilisation in a cast versus supplementary percutaneous pinning.
Abstract 7:
We performed a prospective, randomised study on 57 patients older than 60 years of age with unstable, extra-articular fractures of the distal radius to compare the outcome of immobilisation in a cast alone with that using supplementary, percutaneous pinning. Patients treated by percutaneous wires had a statistically significant improvement in dorsal angulation (mean 7 degrees), radial length (mean 3 mm) and radial inclination (mean 3 mm) at one year. However, there was no significant difference in functional outcome in terms of pain, range of movement, grip strength, activities of daily living and the SF-36 score except for an improved range of movement in ulnar deviation in the percutaneous wire group. One patient developed a pin-track infection which required removal of the wires at two weeks. We conclude that percutaneous pinning of unstable, extra-articular fractures of the distal radius provides only a marginal improvement in the radiological parameters compared with immobilisation in a cast alone. This does not correlate with an improved functional outcome in a low-demand, elderly population.


Title 8:
Trans-styloid fixation of fractures of the distal radius. A prospective randomized comparison between 6- and 1-week postoperative immobilization in 60 fractures.
Abstract 8:
We performed a prospective randomized study on 60 patients with dorsally displaced extra-articular or noncomminuted intraarticular fractures of the distal radius. All 60 fractures were treated by closed reduction and Kirchner wire trans-styloid fixation. 30 patients had 1 weeks' postoperative immobilization and 30 patients had 6 weeks' immobilization. All patients had a clinical and radiographic review at 6 weeks and at 1 year after the operation. Pain, range of movement and grip strength were tested clinically, and changes in dorsal tilt, frontal radial deviation, ulnar variance, and radial shortening were assessed radiographically. Rates of complications were the same in both groups. At follow-up, pain was similar in both groups and range of motion and grip strength were somewhat better after early mobilization--in comparison with the opposite wrist--but this was statistically significant only for ulnar deviation. The postoperative radiographic reductions were similar in both groups, with no differences in loss of reduction after bone healing. Therefore, in Colles' fractures, trans-styloid fixation with two K-wires seems to give a stable osteosynthesis, which does not need additional immobilization with a plaster cast.


Title 9:
Biodegradable rods versus Kirschner wire fixation of wrist fractures. A randomised trial.
Abstract 9:
In a prospective trial, biodegradable polyglycolic acid rods were compared with Kirschner wires for fixation of wrist fractures (Frykman types I, II, V and VI). Fifteen patients were randomly assigned to each treatment group. There was no significant difference between the groups with regard to age, sex ratio and fracture type. Kapandji's pinning technique was used in all cases. There were no significant differences in the results obtained in both groups at final follow-up. At three months and six months the functional results of the Kirschner-wire group were, however, significantly better (p < 0.05), due to numerous transient complications from foreign-body reactions to the polyglycolic acid rods. The use of polyglycolic acid rods is therefore not recommended for the fixation of distal radial fractures.


Title 10:
Kapandji pinning or closed reduction for extra-articular distal radius fractures.
Abstract 10:
In a randomized prospective trial, closed reduction and plaster application was compared with Kapandji pinning. Closed reduction and plaster cast application was performed in 50 patients, Kapandji pinning in 48 patients. According to the Cooney score, good and excellent results were found in 74% of patients in the closed reduction and plaster cast group compared with 75% of patients in the Kapandji-pinning group. In terms of maintenance of reduction and functional outcome at 1-year follow-up, no statistically significant differences were found between the two groups. We conclude, therefore, that both techniques can be applied to extra-articular fractures of the distal radius according to the characteristics of the forearm and the surgeon's or the patient's need.


Title 11:
Plaster cast versus percutaneous pin fixation for comminuted fractures of the distal radius in patients between 46 and 65 years of age.
Abstract 11:
To compare the results of treating unstable distal radius fractures either by percutaneous pinning and casting, or by traditional closed reduction and casting.
                Prospective, randomized.
                University hospital.
                Forty patients with unstable Frykmann III-VIII distal radius fractures resulting from a fall.
                Twenty patients were treated with closed reduction, consisting of manipulation, under local anesthesia, followed by casting. Twenty patients were treated with percutaneous fixation using K-wires, followed by casting.
                Initial displacement, quality of reduction, carpal malalignment, articular step-off. Range of motion and grip strength were measured using a scoring system reported by Home et al. (10).
                Functional results in the pinning group were better (excellent, 12; good, 6; fair, 2) than in the plaster group (excellent, 3; good, 8; fair, 5; poor, 4). Anatomic results also were better in the pinning group.
                The best anatomic and functional results were obtained by percutaneous pinning. Although the cost of pins and plaster treatment is significantly greater than plaster treatment, the author believes that the positive end result justifies the cost.
Though there is some evidence to support its use, the precise role and methods of percutaneous pinning are not established. The higher rates of complications with Kapandji pinning and biodegradable materials casts some doubt on their general use.