Evaluation of prominence of straight plates and precontoured clavicle plates using automated plate-to-bone alignment


Published online: Sep 27 2014

Alexander VAN TONGEL, Toon HUYSMANS, Bernat AMIT, Jan SIJBERS, Francis VANGLABBEEK, Lieven DE WILDE

From the University Hospital Ghent, Ghent, Belgium

Abstract

Hardware prominence after plate fixation for clavicle fractureis a common complication. The aim of the study was to perform a 3D analysis of the prominence of different types of superior clavicle plates. An automated fitting of 3 straight and 10 precontoured plates was performed on 52 3D-CT-scan reconstructed cadaver clavicles. The mean and maximum bone-plate distance and maximum prominence was significant higher with the straight plates compared to the precontoured plates. The mean and maximum boneplate distance was significant higher with the precontoured DePuy-Synthes plates compared to the precontoured Acumed plates but when evaluating the maximum prominence there was no significant difference between the most commonly used 8-holes plates. To conclude, precontoured plates of the clavicula diminish significantly hardware prominence. There exists a difference in hardware prominence between different brands of precontoured plates but this difference is limited and in most cases not significant.