Which surgery restores knee function best after complex fracture?
NCT ID NCT07773402
First seen Aug 19, 2026 · Last updated Aug 20, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study compares two surgical methods for treating severe tibial plateau fractures (Schatzker types V and VI) — a locking plate versus a hybrid Ilizarov external fixator. Adults aged 25 to 50 with such fractures will be randomly assigned to one of the two procedures. The main goal is to see which technique leads to better knee function, measured by the Rasmussen Knee Functional Score, and to compare healing time, complications, and infection rates.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Two surgical procedures: locking plate fixation and hybrid Ilizarov external fixation
- What this could lead to
- If one technique proves better, it could guide surgeons toward the more effective approach for these complex fractures, improving knee function and recovery.
- What could go wrong
- This is a relatively small study, and results may not apply to all patients. Both surgeries carry risks like infection, delayed healing, or nerve damage.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 78 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Aug 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Nov 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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25 to 50 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Patients of either sex. * Age between 25 and 50 years. * Patients presenting within 2 weeks of sustaining the fracture. * Patients diagnosed with complex tibial plateau fractures classified as Schatzker type V or VI. * Patients willing to participate in the study. * Patients providing written informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: * Associated ipsilateral limb fractures. * Pathological fracture of the tibia. * Associated major organ injuries. * Psychiatric illness that may interfere with participation or outcome assessment. * Refusal to provide informed consent.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Jinnah Hospital Lahore
RECRUITINGLahore, Punjab Province, 54000, Pakistan
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Antibiotic powder sprinkled in wounds may cut infection risk after severe leg fractures
- Nerve block could ease pain after leg fracture surgery without hiding danger signs
- Extra oxygen during surgery may cut infection risk after bad breaks
- Leg machine may cut painkiller use after broken bone surgery
- Gene study aims to unlock why some leg fractures lead to dangerous muscle swelling
- MRI scans reveal hidden clues in complex knee fractures