Apparatus to test insertion and removal torque of bone screws

This paper describes affordable equipment for testing bone screw torque, corresponding to ASTM standard F543-00 for testing metallic medical bone screws. Correct testing of thin and long bone screws is essential due to screw failures during insertion and removal of the screws. Furthermore, insertion torque is an important factor in predicting fixation strength, screw pull-out force and effects of surface treatment of screws. The capability of the custom-built tester was determined using polytetrafluoroethylene and wood disc samples and bone screws. Bovine cortical bones allowed testing to the failure limit, i.e. the torque increased in long screws to the fracture limit. For 2.7 and 3.5 mm thick self-tapping cortical bone screws, the failure torques were 30-50 per cent higher than the minimum values required by the standard (1.0 and 2.3 N m respectively). The equipment provided reproducible results and fulfilled the ASTM standard very well. Preliminary testing with amorphous diamond coated bone screws showed good durability of the coating and on average 10-15 per cent lower torque values compared with uncoated screws. The equipment can be used to measure insertion and removal torques as described in the standard. Furthermore, it also allows testing of normal screws and bolts.