Journal
JOURNAL OF SHOULDER AND ELBOW SURGERY
Volume 28, Issue 4, Pages E111-E116Publisher
MOSBY-ELSEVIER
DOI: 10.1016/j.jse.2018.10.008
Keywords
Biomechanical; stability; radial head; fracture; fixation; stiffness
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Hypothesis: Fixation of a 3-part radial head fracture with cannulated compression screws will show equivalent stiffness to a locking plate under axial load. Debate exists regarding the management of Mason type III fractures, with many believing that open reduction and internal fixation provides advantages over other options. By virtue of their subarticular placement, screw fixation is less likely to cause impingement compared with plate fixation, which can result in loss of rotation and requirement for hardware removal. Insufficient fixation stability can lead to nonunions, necrosis of the radial head, pain, and instability. We tested the mechanical stability of fixation of simulated radial head fractures using headless compression screws compared with standard plate construct. Methods: Standardized test constructs were created with repeatable osteotomy cuts and hardware placement on each Synbone model (Synbone AG, Malans, Switzerland). We presectioned 22 proximal radius Synbone models to simulate a 3-part radial head fracture. The models were fixed using a radial head locking plate or headless compression screws in a tripod construct. The constructs were potted into a compression test jig using 2-part epoxy resin. Compression testing was performed using a 30-kN Instron Universal machine (Instron, Norwood, MA, USA). The compression tool was spherical, representing the surface of the capitellum. Results: There was no significant difference between the stiffness of the Synbone constructs under axial load. Conclusion: There was no significant difference between fixation stiffness of a 3-part radial head fracture with headless compression screws in a tripod structure vs. a locking plate in Synbone. Further study is required to allow clinical application. Crown Copyright (C) 2018 All rights reserved.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available