What are the top 7 locking plate principles?

Posted by Shivani Jani on March 15th, 2019

Orthopedic locking plates are one of the most important surgical equipment used in the present day, medical science to fix broken bones and other conditions. This rising demand has given rise to requirement of orthopedic locking plate suppliers who can provide high quality orthopedic implants and instruments.

In order to understand the usefulness of locking plates, you need to understand the principles of locking plates. Following are the top 7 locking plate principles that you must know about: -

The locking plates serve various functions:

  • Compression

  • Neutralization

  • Buttressing

  • Bridging

  • Tension band

  • As a fixed angle construct- locking plates

In this type the conical and threaded unit is fit onto dynamic compression unit.

Plate design:

  • Locking plates 2.0

Locking plates 2.0 are available in four thicknesses, with or without center space:

  • Small profile

  • Medium profile

  • Large profile

  • Extra-large profile

  • They are also available in multiple shapes to meet a variety of clinical applications.

  • The threaded head of the 2.0 mm locking head screws is conical. It is therefore possible to insert locking head screws at small angles. A threaded drill guide is not necessary.

Biomechanics:

  • With the conventional technique, the tightening of the screws presses the plate against the bone. This pressure generates friction, which contributes significantly to primary stability.

  • Loading forces are transmitted from the bone to the plate, across the fracture and back into the bone. Friction between plate and bone is necessary for stability using conventional screws.

  • However, with the locking head screws engaged in the plate, the plate is not pressed onto the bone. This reduces interference to the blood supply to the bone underlying the plate.

  • On each side of the fracture, the screws are locked into the plate as well as into the bone. The result is a rigid frame construct with high mechanical stability (internal external fixator).

Primary Loss of Reduction:

  • In conventional plate systems, screw loosening may lead to loss of reduction while in a locking system, screw loosening rarely occurs because the screw head is locked to the plate.

  • When using conventional plate and screws the plate must be precisely adapted to the bone, otherwise the tightening of the screws will lead to a primary loss of reduction.

  • When using a locking plate/screw system, the plate does not have to be precisely adapted to the bone. When tightening a locking head screw, the screw will not cause a primary loss of reduction as it tightens into the threaded plate hole and will not draw the bone fragments to the plate.

Secondary Loss of Reduction:

  • In conventional plate systems, screw loosening may lead to loss of reduction.

  • In a locking system, screw loosening rarely occurs because the screw head is locked to the plate.

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Shivani Jani

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Shivani Jani
Joined: March 15th, 2019
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