Comparing Intramedullary screw with Kirschner wire for hand
Official title: IM Screw vs. K-wire Fixation of Proximal/Middle Phalanx Fractures
Intramedullary Screw Versus Kirschner Wire Fixation of Extraarticular Proximal and Middle Phalanx Fractures: Pilot Study for a Randomized Controlled Trial
- 2 groups
- One site, in Hamilton
- Recruiting
Interventions
- Medical device
Intramedullary screw
Intramedullary (IM) screw fixation is a minimally invasive technique that provides rigid fixation of fractures, acting as an internal splint and load-sharing device. IM screw fixation may allow for early mobilization without the operative site morbidity of open reduction and its associated complications.
- Medical device
Kirschner wire
Kirschner wire (K-wire) fixation is a minimally invasive technique that provides non-rigid fixation of fractures. K-wires allow for fracture fixation with minimal soft tissue injury and preserved blood supply. However, patients require prolonged postoperative immobilization and are at risk of malunion and pin tract infection.
Canadian Sites (1)
1 of 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
St. Joseph's Healthcare
Hamilton, Ontario
Eligibility Criteria
See who this study is looking for8 criteria
The trial’s own eligibility text, word for word from the registry. Only the trial site can say who takes part.
Inclusion
- +adult patients ≥18 years old
- +scheduled for operative management of extraarticular proximal or middle closed phalanx fracture(s) at the investigators' tertiary hospital
- +feasible to perform closed reduction
- +able to provide informed consentInformed consentThe process of being told what taking part involves, then choosing freely.Read more → and complete health-related quality of life (HRQoL) questionnaires in English
Exclusion
- −other fractures that cannot be managed with IM screws or K-wires
- −other intraarticular fractures
- −significant concomitant hand trauma
- −cannot commit to 3 months of follow upFollow-upContinued check-ins after the treatment part is finished.Read more → at the investigators' institution
In plain language
Assembled directly from this trial’s registry record. Every sentence traces to a field below — nothing here is generated or interpreted.
What this study is
This study is testing a treatment for a condition.
This study is not organised into the usual phase numbers — that is common for device, behavioural, and diagnostic research.
From the trial registry
Built from these fields:
- designModule.designInfo.primaryPurpose
- designModule.phases
Who receives what
There are 2 groups in this study.
Group A receives Intramedullary screw.
Registry label: A: Intramedullary screw
Group B, the comparison group, receives Kirschner wire.
Registry label: B: Kirschner wire
From the trial registry
Built from these fields:
- armsInterventionsModule.armGroups[].label
- armsInterventionsModule.armGroups[].type
- armsInterventionsModule.armGroups[].interventionNames
How the study is run
Which group you would be placed in is decided by chance, like a coin flip — not by you and not by your doctor.
One group of people involved — usually the participants — is not told which treatment is which.
From the trial registry
Built from these fields:
- designModule.designInfo.allocation
- designModule.designInfo.maskingInfo.masking
Is there a placebo?
This study does not list a placeboPlaceboA dummy treatment with no active medicine, used for comparison.Read more → group.
One group receives an existing treatment, so the two can be compared.
From the trial registry
Built from these fields:
- armsInterventionsModule.armGroups[].type
- armsInterventionsModule.armGroups[].interventionNames
Who the study is looking for
The study lists a minimum age of 18 years, with no upper limit given.
The study is open to people of any sex.
The study does not accept healthy volunteersHealthy volunteerSomeone without the condition being studied who takes part anyway.Read more →.
These are the criteria the study lists. Only the trial siteTrial siteA hospital or clinic where a study is actually run.Read more → can decide whether someone can take part.
From the trial registry
Built from these fields:
- eligibilityModule.minimumAge
- eligibilityModule.sex
- eligibilityModule.healthyVolunteers
How big and how long
The study aims to enrol about 34 people.
The study is currently expected to finish around March 2026.
The main measurement is taken over: 1 year.
From the trial registry
Built from these fields:
- designModule.enrollmentInfo.count
- statusModule.completionDateStruct.date
- outcomesModule.primaryOutcomes[].timeFrame
What the study measures
Percentage of Patient EligibilityEligibility criteriaThe full list of requirements for taking part in a study.Read more → - Study Feasibility — measured over 1 year.
Recruitment rate - Study Feasibility — measured over 1 year.
CrossoverCrossoverEach participant receives both treatments in turn, in a set order.Read more → rate - Study Feasibility — measured over 1 year.
Compliance with intervention rate - Study Feasibility — measured over 1 year.
The study lists 1 further main measurements.
From the trial registry
Built from these fields:
- outcomesModule.primaryOutcomes[].measure
- outcomesModule.primaryOutcomes[].timeFrame
Source: NCT06372067 on ClinicalTrials.gov. The full registry text is further down this page — this summary never replaces it.
Not medical advice. What do these terms mean?
What is being tested — in plain terms
About Intramedullary screwDevice
Intramedullary (IM) screw fixation is a minimally invasive technique that provides rigid fixation of fractures, acting as an internal splint and load-sharing device. IM screw fixation may allow for early mobilization without the operative site morbidity of open reduction and its associated complications.
From the trial registry — its own words, unedited.
What a device is here: A physical instrument, implant, app or piece of equipment being studied.
Read the full explanation → · in clinical review
About Kirschner wireDevice
Kirschner wire (K-wire) fixation is a minimally invasive technique that provides non-rigid fixation of fractures. K-wires allow for fracture fixation with minimal soft tissue injury and preserved blood supply. However, patients require prolonged postoperative immobilization and are at risk of malunion and pin tract infection.
From the trial registry — its own words, unedited.
What a device is here: A physical instrument, implant, app or piece of equipment being studied.
Read the full explanation → · in clinical review
Common questions
Answered from this trial’s registry record. Where the record doesn’t say, these answers say so rather than filling the gap.
Am I eligible for this trial?
Only the trial siteTrial siteA hospital or clinic where a study is actually run.Read more → can decide whether someone can take part. Concord cannot make that determination, and neither can any tool that has not examined you.
What the study lists: a minimum age of 18 years.
The full inclusionInclusion criteriaThe things you must have or be for a study to consider you.Read more → and exclusion criteriaExclusion criteriaThe things that would prevent someone from taking part.Read more → are published on this page, exactly as the study team wrote them.
The useful next step is to bring this trial to your doctor. Answering a few questions first gives them something concrete to review.
From the trial registry
- eligibilityModule.minimumAge
- eligibilityModule.eligibilityCriteria
Is there a placebo?
This study does not list a placeboPlaceboA dummy treatment with no active medicine, used for comparison.Read more → group.
One group receives an existing treatment so the two can be compared.
From the trial registry
- armsInterventionsModule.armGroups[].type
Would I know which treatment I am getting?
One group of people involved — usually the participants — is not told which treatment is which.
Which group you would be placed in is decided by chance, like a coin flip — not by you and not by your doctor.
From the trial registry
- designModule.designInfo.maskingInfo.masking
- designModule.designInfo.allocation
Who can join?
The study lists a minimum age of 18 years, with no upper limit given.
It is open to people of any sex.
It does not accept healthy volunteersHealthy volunteerSomeone without the condition being studied who takes part anyway.Read more →.
Only the trial siteTrial siteA hospital or clinic where a study is actually run.Read more → can confirm whether a particular person can take part.
From the trial registry
- eligibilityModule.minimumAge
- eligibilityModule.sex
- eligibilityModule.healthyVolunteers
How long would this take?
The study's main measurement is taken over: 1 year.
The study as a whole is currently expected to finish around 2026-03-01.
How long any one person takes part can differ from the study length. The study team can tell you what the schedule looks like in practice.
From the trial registry
- outcomesModule.primaryOutcomes[].timeFrame
- statusModule.completionDateStruct.date
How many people are taking part?
The study aims to enrol about 34 people.
From the trial registry
- designModule.enrollmentInfo.count
Where is this happening?
This study lists one location: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Sites can open and close during a study, so confirm with the team before travelling.
From the trial registry
- trial_locations
About This Trial
When people break their fingers, sometimes surgery is needed to align the bones to heal them properly. There are different ways to fix broken bones in hands, such as plates, pins, or screws. Each method has pros and cons; fixing a broken bone with plates is usually a larger surgery with more cutting but holds the bones very securely. Pins require little to no cutting but the patient needs to immobilize their hand for a few weeks afterwards. Screws are a newer method of fixing broken fingers that requires little cutting and also holds the bones securely. The goal of this study is to compare the effectiveness of using pins versus screws in surgery for broken fingers. The investigators are studying whether using screws leads to better hand function, patient satisfaction, and quicker return to work.
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See if this trial could fit youThis page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Clinical trial eligibility can only be determined by the trial site after proper screening. Trial information is sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov and may not reflect the most current status. Always consult your healthcare provider before making decisions about clinical trial participation.