Uses of Various Orthopedic Plates

by Ashwin P. Blogger Enthusiast

Uses of Various Orthopedic Plates

Plates come in various shapes and sizes, and each can be used in several different ways. Bone plates are identified by their shape and function which are provided by trauma implants manufacturer siiora.com. The three basic functions of plate are to compress, neutralize, and buttress. We will discuss about different plates and their functions in this article.

Plates

Compression plates are used for fractures that are stable in compression. The plate can be used in combination with lag screws. the shape of the bone and the location of the mechanical axis give some bones, such as the compression (medial cortex), femur, and tension (lateral cortex) sides. A plate placed on the tension side (tension-band plating) absorbs the tensile forces, resulting in fracture’s dynamic compression.

Neutralization plates protect fracture surfaces from normal bending, axial-loading forces, and rotation. A neutralization plate is mostly used in combination with lag screws, which are placed separately from the plate or through one of the plate holes to provide interfragmentary compression. The remaining bone screws in the plate simply anchor the plate to the bone and neutralize the loading forces on the site of fracture. It is possible for a plate to both compress the site of fracture and neutralize the loading forces.

Buttress plates support bone that is unstable in axial bending or compression. These plates are used for fractures in which impacted fragments must be elevated to restore the articular surface (for example, distal radius and tibial plateau fractures). A buttress or support plate is then used to hold these elevated fragments in the desired site. Their use is mostly supplemented with cancellous screws. Plates can be grouped by shape generally into those with special and straight shapes.

Straight plates- Straight plates come in a variety of sizes and lengths, depending on the clinical application. They are mostly used on the shaft, although they can be contoured to fit complex surfaces. There are four general types of straight plates: those with round holes, tubular plates, dynamic compression plates, and reconstruction plates. Straight plates with round holes consist of a flat metal strip with a single row of round holes and represent an earlier design of plate. They are still used today under some circumstances. Dynamic compression plates have exclusive oval holes with inclined edges. The orthopedic plates are slightly concave and replace the design of original round-hole, which is provided by orthopedic implant distributors. When the screws are placed at the outer ends of the oval holes with a special guide and are tightened, the tapered contour of the hole forces the screw head towards the hole’s center. This moves the plate about 1 mm, relative to the bone, for each screw that is placed. With careful placement of screws in the plate, compression at the site of fracture can be achieved. In the present usage, dynamic compression plate refers to a plate with oval holes. This causes some confusion, since this plate can be used to neutralize, compress, or buttress, depending on its application.

Tubular plates are thin and have a concave inner surface that conforms to the curvature of the bone surface. They are easy to contour and pliable. They are available in one-half, one-third, and one-quarter- round profiles and are used mostly as neutralization plates or to achieve compression in non-weight bearing bones. Compression can be attained when the screws are placed eccentrically within the oval holes. Although they lack beveled edges, the effect is same as that achieved with dynamic compression plates. The one-third tubular plate is commonly used on the distal fibula and the one-third quarter tubular plate on the small bones of the feet and hand.

Read: The Mixing of Instruments and Orthopedic Implants

Reconstruction plates are designed to allow twisting, bending, and contouring to accommodate bones with unusual shapes, such as the distal humerus, acetabulum, and mandible. These plates are thin and very pliable due to the scored edges.