{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,13]],"date-time":"2026-06-13T10:20:08Z","timestamp":1781346008065,"version":"3.54.1"},"reference-count":42,"publisher":"Georg Thieme Verlag KG","issue":"06","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["J Wrist Surg"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,12]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Distal radius fractures are a common orthopaedic injury with several treatment methods. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to synthesize the results of the latest randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and compare the functional outcomes and rates of complications in Kirschner's wire (K-wire) fixation versus cast immobilization in the management of distal radius fractures.<\/jats:p>\n                  <jats:p>A systematic electronic search of Embase, PubMed, and Scopus was performed from inception through to July 26, 2024. All articles addressing RCTs comparing plaster cast immobilization and K-wire fixation in distal radius fractures were included. This study was performed according to the Preferred Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines. The quality of studies was assessed using the Cochrane Risk-of-Bias 2 tool for RCTs.<\/jats:p>\n                  <jats:p>A total of nine studies with 1,097 patients (580 and 517 who underwent cast immobilization and K-wire fixation, respectively) were included for analysis. There was a significantly higher risk of complications (risk ratio [RR]: 1.75, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.10\u20132.78; p\u2009=\u20090.02) and malunion (RR: 9.03, 95% CI: 2.57\u201331.75; p\u2009=\u20090.0006) in cast immobilization than K-wiring. There was also a significant difference in Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation (PRWE) scores at 12 months (mean difference: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.10\u20131.52; p\u2009=\u20090.02). There were no significant differences in other outcomes that could be meta-analyzed such as range of motion and grip strength. There was also no significant difference in other complications such as chronic regional pain syndrome, finger stiffness, and osteoarthritis.<\/jats:p>\n                  <jats:p>This systematic review and meta-analysis found a significantly higher risk of total adverse events and malunion in cast immobilization than K-wiring as well as a significant difference in PRWE scores at 12 months. Our results thus suggest that K-wiring is more favorable than cast immobilization in the management of distal radius fractures.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1055\/a-2500-9965","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,3]],"date-time":"2025-01-03T18:55:02Z","timestamp":1735930502000},"page":"588-598","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Kirschner's Wire versus Casts in Wrist Fractures: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis"],"prefix":"10.1055","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0006-5999-8364","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Brandon","family":"Lim","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of General Medicine, Changi General Hospital, Singapore"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9818-2572","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Stephanie","family":"Talbot","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, Tallaght University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3442-8286","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Samher","family":"Jassim","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, Tallaght University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3970-2064","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Eoghain Paul","family":"Quinn","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, Tallaght University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0227-1483","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mohamed","family":"Shaalan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, Tallaght University Hospital, Dublin, 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