Bioresorbable pins and screws in paediatric traumatology

Bioresorbable implants are suited to the treatment of joint and shaft fractures in children. These conclusions were drawn from clinical and experimental investigations at the University of Heidelberg. Since 1990 13 fractures, including 5 medial malleolus fractures, 2 retropatella flake fractures, 1 metacarpal fracture, 2 lateral condyle, 2 epicondyle fractures and a secondary dislocated forearm fracture were treated with BIOFIX pins. 11 of these cases were without complications. There was one case of infection, and due to material failure the stability was insufficient in one case. In a post-mortem study torsional fractures were produced in femora of children between 5 and 15 months. The fractures were then fixed with one resorbable screw and put under torsional loading until the bone refractured. The post-fixation force (torsional) amounted to 77% of the original fracture force, and the degree of rotation at fracture was post-fixation 84% of the original. The stability of bioresorbable screws in the treatment of femoral spiral fractures in children can therefore be confirmed.