Dual plating for fixation of humeral shaft fractures: A mechanical comparison of various combinations of plate lengths.
OBJECTIVE
The role of plate configuration was found inconclusive on the biomechanical effects of the plate size and hole number for dual plate constructions in humeral shaft fractures. The purpose of this study was to test the biomechanical stability of various dual plate constructions.


METHODS
Twenty-four left humeri (4th Generation Composite Humerus, Sawbones, Malmö, Sweden) with comminuted midshaft humeral fracture were used. Four groups of plate constructs were tested: laterally fixed 8-hole locking plate and screws were combined with anteriorly locking plates containing 0, 4, 6, or 8 holes in groups I, II, III, and IV, respectively. The alterations in axial, bending, and torsional angles were recorded.


RESULTS
There were no fixation failures during axial, bending, or torsional stiffness testing within the elastic behavior limits. Axial stiffness was highest in Group IV. Torsional stiffness, posterior-to-anterior bending stiffness, lateral-to-medial bending stiffness, and medial-to-lateral bending stiffness were lowest in Group I.


CONCLUSION
The similar stiffness values for the 8-to-4 hole and 8-to-6 hole plate constructions indicate that the 8-to-4 hole construction is an option in young adults, while the stiffest 8-to-8 hole combination may be an option for osteoporotic patients.
['Karakasli|Ahmet|A|', 'Basci|Onur|O|', 'Ertem|Fatih|F|', 'Sekik|Eyad|E|', 'Havitcioglu|Hasan|H|']
D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena D001860:Bone Plates D001863:Bone Screws D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal D018460:Fractures, Comminuted D006801:Humans D006810:Humeral Fractures D008422:Materials Testing D011474:Prosthesis Design D013314:Stress, Mechanical D013548:Sweden
Dual plate Fixation Humeral shaft fractures