Carbon Fiber Implants

NCT ID: NCT03382041

Last Updated: 2023-07-25

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: TERMINATED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 20 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2017-05-23
• Study Completion Date: 2021-03-31

Brief Summary

The investigators will compare intramedullary nailing of open and closed tibia shaft fractures with carbon fiber implant versus titanium implant in a Level I trauma setting.

Detailed Description

The tibia (long bone in the leg) bears most of the body weight and is the most commonly fractured long bone in the body. According to the National Center for Health Statistics; tibia, fibula and ankle fractures account for an annual sum of 581,000 fractures. Of all long bone fractures, the tibia is the most common site for non -union(failure to heal).

For many years, the standard practice in the treatment of fractures of the tibia shaft and other long bones has been intramedullary nailing (placing rod in the bone)using titanium or stainless steel implants( tibial nails).

More recently however, orthopaedic surgeons have found an alternative to the standard carbon fiber implants (tibial nails), especially in the prophylactic reinforcement of bones susceptible to pathological fractures following metastatic tumors. The new carbon fiber has also been used in the treatment of tibial non-union (non- healing bone); which has shown satisfactory outcomes. A clear advantage over titanium implants (tibial nails) is the carbon fiber's radiolucent (ability to see through the implant on x-ray) property. This allows for improved visualization of early healing and the reduction of fracture segments (i.e. fracture alignment) without the typical radiopaque (inability to see through the implant on x-ray) density and artifact found with metals on x-ray, MRI or CT Scans. The early visualization of callus formation8(healing) may therefore serve as a good prognostic predictor of successful union.

Thus orthopaedic trauma patients, especially in cases of polytrauma may heal faster; attain earlier weight bearing status, and independence, decrease rehabilitation center stays and advance recovery with possible quicker return to work. These benefits have economic significance in reducing direct costs to patients and their families as well as to the healthcare system. Use of carbon fiber implants (tibial nails) seems to hold the promise of a shorter recovery time with better functional outcome than with more rigid titanium implants (tibial nails). This is due to the carbon fiber implants(tibial nails) elasticity (flexibility) which is close to that of bone, preventing excessive rigidity and possible non- union (non -healing bone).

Intramedullary nails have continued to evolve, beginning with stainless steel implants and progressing to titanium. The titanium nail has been used over several years and the carbon fiber is a newer material and is now used by several institutions for treatment of tibial shaft fractures. There are no studies that directly compare the two nails in a prospective manner.

The standard of care for treatment of tibial shaft fractures is the use of an intramedullary (rod inside the bone) implant. Both implants perform the same function but are made of different materials. Current treatment of tibia fractures at The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) utilizes both titanium and carbon fiber implants.

Conditions

Tibial Shaft Fractures

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Carbon Fiber Implant

There is an alternative to the standard treatment, which is carbon fiber implants (tibial nails), especially in the prophylactic reinforcement of bones susceptible to pathological fractures following metastatic tumors. The new carbon fiber has also been used in the treatment of tibial non-union (non- healing bone); which has shown satisfactory outcomes.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Carbon Fiber Implant

Intervention Type: DEVICE

A cannulated rod, made of long carbon fiber reinforced polymer, with interlocking holes at its proximal and distal ends. The Nail provides for a slight bend. A Tantalum radiopaque marker along the Nail longitudinal axis provides for its visualization under fluoroscopy. The Nail proximal end is marked by a tantalum marker.

Titanium Implant

The standard of practice in the treatment of fractures of the tibial shaft and other long bones has been the intramedullary nailing using titanium or stainless steel implants.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Titanium Implant

Intervention Type: DEVICE

An intramedullary rod, also known as an intramedullary nail (IM nail) or inter-locking nail or Küntscher nail (without proximal or distal fixation), is a metal rod forced into the medullary cavity of a bone. IM nails have long been used to treat fractures of long bones of the body

Interventions

Carbon Fiber Implant

A cannulated rod, made of long carbon fiber reinforced polymer, with interlocking holes at its proximal and distal ends. The Nail provides for a slight bend. A Tantalum radiopaque marker along the Nail longitudinal axis provides for its visualization under fluoroscopy. The Nail proximal end is marked by a tantalum marker.

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Titanium Implant

An intramedullary rod, also known as an intramedullary nail (IM nail) or inter-locking nail or Küntscher nail (without proximal or distal fixation), is a metal rod forced into the medullary cavity of a bone. IM nails have long been used to treat fractures of long bones of the body

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• i. Skeletal maturity (patients included will be 18 - 64 years, i.e. whose epiphyseal/growth plates are closed) ii. Arbeitsgemeinschaft ur Osteosynthesefragen/Orthpaedica Trauma Association (AO/OTA) Fracture class 42; open and closed tibia shaft fracture (Gustilo-Anderson Types I II, and III; Tscherne closed types 0, I, 2 and 3), Tscherne open types I and II.

vi. Patient's informed consent or that of a legally acceptable representative

Exclusion Criteria

i. Subjects currently enrolled in one or more clinical studies ii. Skeletal immaturity (i.e. 17 years and younger) iii. Fractures planned for non-operative management iv. Complex intra-articular involvement of tibia plateau or distal tibia v. Pathologic fractures (fractures secondary to disease) vi. Concomitant ipsilateral tibia shaft fractures with complex pilon and/or plateau fractures requiring fixation vii. Patients already treated or in re-treatment viii. Tibia already infected as diagnosed by the attending physician ix. Patients likely to be lost before completing adequate follow-up, such as prisoners or planned out-of-state (and other likely problems in the investigator's judgment, with maintaining follow-up visit schedule) x. Patient is intellectually challenged or has a severe psychiatric condition xi. Patient is incompetent in the English Language xii. Patient is non-ambulatory before injury or as a consequence of polytrauma xiii. Inability to obtain patient's informed consent and/or that of a legally acceptable representative

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• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

CarboFix Orthopedics

INDUSTRY

Sponsor Role: collaborator

University of Alabama at Birmingham

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Clay Spitler

Primary Investigator

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Clay A Spitler, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Locations

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)

Birmingham, Alabama, United States

Countries

United States

Provided Documents

Document Type: Study Protocol and Statistical Analysis Plan

View Document

Other Identifiers

F160824002

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id