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Published on: September 3, 2021
Quantification of bone strength by intraoperative torque measurement: a technical note
Norbert Suhm1, Markus Haenni, Ronald Schwyn
1Behandlungszentrum Bewegungsapparat, Universitätsspital Basel, Spitalstrasse 21, Basel, Switzerland. nsuhm@web.de
Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery
|February 26, 2008
Summary
The DensiProbe system allows for intraoperative measurement of bone strength, proving safe and efficient for surgeons. This torque measurement method shows potential for routine clinical use in osteosynthesis procedures.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedics
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Bone strength is crucial for osteosynthesis stability, but intraoperative assessment was previously limited.
- Mechanical torque measurement offers a potential solution for quantifying bone strength during surgery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the intraoperative eligibility of the DensiProbe system for torque measurement.
- To assess the safety, surgeon usability, and time efficiency of the DensiProbe method.
Main Methods:
- Intraoperative torque measurements using DensiProbe in 10 patients with femoral fractures.
- Documentation of complications, procedure deviations, and time requirements.
- Postoperative comparison of bone mineral density (BMD) with intraoperative torque values.
Main Results:
- No major complications were observed; one minor complication (guide wire extraction) occurred.
- Torque measurement averaged 2.35 minutes, representing 2.2% of total surgery time.
- A trend towards correlation was found between BMD and intraoperative peak torque values.
Conclusions:
- The DensiProbe system is suitable for routine intraoperative use by trained surgeons.
- Further multicenter studies are needed to validate predictive value for implant failure and surgeon acceptance.
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