Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 21, 2026
A Mini-Invasive Internal Fixation Technique for Studying Immobilization-Induced Knee Flexion Contracture in Rats
Published on: May 20, 2019
Establishing the indications for temporising knee-spanning external fixation: A modified Delphi study of the
Michael J Medvecky1, Ekrem M Ayhan1,2, Jonathan M Salandra1
1Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
Purpose:
Knee dislocations (KDs) can be limb-threatening injuries that may require a temporising knee-spanning external fixator (KSEF) for stabilisation. Precise indications for this commonly utilised invasive immobilisation technique remain controversial and poorly defined. The purpose of this study was to establish consensus-driven indications for temporising KSEF use in the initial management of KDs.
Methods:
A working group of fellowship-trained orthopaedic surgeons generated clinical scenarios reflecting commonly debated indications for temporising KSEF application. Utilising a modified Delphi technique, 23 surgeons from the International Knee Dislocation Study Group completed two anonymous online survey rounds. Consensus was defined a priori as ≥70% agreement or disagreement.
Results:
Response rates were 100% for Round 1 and 96% for Round 2. Four scenarios achieved unanimous consensus: (1) KD without post-reduction instability (100% disagreement), (2) inability to maintain tibiofemoral reduction in the sagittal/coronal plane with non-invasive knee immobilisation (NIKI) after initial reduction (i.e., redislocation/subluxation) (100% agreement), (3) tibial plateau fracture-dislocation with post-reduction subluxation (100% agreement), and (4) in bilateral closed KDs where one limb is indicated and the other is NOT, span ONLY the indicated limb (100% agreement). Two scenarios achieved strong positive consensus (90%-99.9% agreement): (1) morbid obesity (BMI ≥ 40) without NIKI of sufficient size (91.3% agreement), and (2) extensor mechanism injury with post-reduction subluxation (91.3% agreement). Four and one additional scenarios achieved positive and negative consensus, respectively.
Conclusions:
This modified Delphi study established consensus-driven indications for temporising KSEF application in the initial management of KDs, which advocate for more selective use than what is demonstrated in the literature.
Level Of Evidence:
Level V.
