Robots vs. surgeons: a precision showdown for thigh fractures
NCT ID NCT07738406
First seen Jul 31, 2026 · Last updated Jul 31, 2026
Summary
This trial tests whether a robotic system can assist surgeons in realigning broken thigh bones near the knee, compared to traditional manual methods. The goal is to see if the robot improves bone alignment accuracy and reduces the need for X-rays during surgery. Adults aged 18 to 80 with a specific type of closed thigh fracture are eligible to participate.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Robot-assisted closed reduction and internal fixation using a distal femoral locking compression plate
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this robotic approach could make fracture surgery more precise, reduce radiation exposure, and improve recovery for patients with thigh fractures.
- What could go wrong
- This is a relatively small trial, and the robotic system may not consistently outperform skilled surgeons. Technical failures or complications during surgery are possible.
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 80 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Jul 2026
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2028
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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18 to 80 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: * Age between 18 and 80 years old * Unilateral, acute, closed extra-articular supracondylar femoral fracture (Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Osteosynthesefragen/Orthopaedic Trauma Association AO/OTA 33-A) * Time from injury to surgery ≤21 days * Able to walk independently before injury (assistive devices allowed) Exclusion Criteria: * Open fractures or multiple severe traumas requiring priority treatment * Asymmetrical lower extremities, or prior malunion of the ipsilateral femur, or pre-existing deformities significantly affecting rotation/length evaluation * Unilateral fractures combined with other sites * Pathological fractures (tumor or metabolic) * Prior complex implants in place or previous surgeries significantly affecting evaluation * Active infection or severe systemic medical contraindications (unable to tolerate anesthesia/surgery) * Cognitive impairment, poor compliance, pregnancy, or lactation * Deemed unsuitable by the investigator (e.g., unable to follow up, or extreme obesity severely limiting the surgical or robotic workspace) * Refused randomization or enrollment
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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
2 sites. 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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Aerospace Center Hospital
RECRUITINGBeijing, Beijing Municipality, 100035, China
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Beijing Jishuitan Hospital
RECRUITINGBeijing, Beijing Municipality, 100035, China
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- Breakthrough device cuts surgery time and radiation for broken bones
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- Pre-surgery nutrition may boost stability in frail hip fracture patients