Related Experiment Videos
Forearm fracture plates: to remove or not to remove
D A Labosky1, M B Cermak, C A Waggy
1Department of Orthopedic Surgery, West Virginia University, Morgantown 26506.
The Journal of Hand Surgery
|March 1, 1990
Summary
Plate removal after radius or ulna fracture fixation carries refracture risks. Long-term implants may pose risks from metal ions and corrosion, questioning elective removal decisions.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic surgery
- Biomaterials science
Background:
- Dynamic compression plates are commonly used for radius and/or ulna fracture fixation.
- Plate removal is performed electively or for clinical reasons after fracture healing.
Observation:
- Eighty plates were removed from 51 of 98 adult patients, with 37 removals elective and 14 for clinical reasons.
- The average time from plate insertion to removal was 13.6 months (range: 4.4–36 months).
Findings:
- One refracture occurred at the unhealed fracture site after early removal (6 months).
- Another refracture occurred through a screw hole of a permanently implanted ulna plate (3 years).
Implications:
- Long-term plate retention in young patients presents risks of refracture and complications from metal ion exposure and corrosion.
- The decision for elective plate removal requires careful consideration of these persistent risks.