title: Time analysis for screw application: traditional lag technique versus self-tapping lag technique.
abstract: A study was conducted to compare the procedural time of a 2.7-mm. fully threaded cortical screw versus a self-tapping, 2.4-mm. lag screw, which is reported to eliminate the need for overdrilling and tapping. The screws were applied by four board-certified podiatric and orthopedic physicians and four second-year podiatric and orthopedic residents. Each screw was placed through two 8-mm. layers of Last-a-foam, and the participants were timed for length of application of four screws from each system per week. The trials were repeated weekly for 4 weeks. The results showed a statistically significant difference between the length of time for insertion between a traditional cortical screw and a self-tapping lag screw, regardless of physician experience.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Loyola Medical Center, Maywood, IL, USA.
authors.forename: J V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Trout
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Stuck
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Vrbos
mesh_terms: D001863:Bone Screws; D008722:Methods; D011032:Podiatry / Q000295:instrumentation; D013997:Time Factors