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Updated: Jun 20, 2025
An Intramedullary Locking Nail for Standardized Fixation of Femur Osteotomies to Analyze Normal and Defective Bone Healing in Mice
Published on: November 13, 2016
Use of locking fibular plates versus non-locking dual plate fixation: A biomechanical study
Scott Epperly1, Allen Nedley2, Jun Ho Chung2
1Fairchild Medical Center, Yreka, CA, United States.
Introduction:
Distal fibula osteoporotic comminuted fractures are challenging to treat and are often treated with periarticular locking plates. This study examined the biomechanical difference between locked plating and dual non-locked one-third tubular plating.
Methods:
Using an osteoporotic Sawbones fibula model, simulated fracture were fixated with one-third tubular dual plating and locked periarticular plating. The samples were then torqued to failure and peak torque, stiffness, and displacement were recorded.
Results:
The peak torque of the dual plating group was found to be statistically higher than the periarticular locked plating group (0.841 Nm and 0.740 Nm respectively; p = 0.024). However overall stiffness calculated at each 10° increment of displacement was noted to have no significant difference between the two constructs.
Conclusion:
Dual non-locked plating of distal fibula osteoporotic comminuted fractures is biomechanically equivalent to locked periarticular plating.
