New generation biodegradable plate for fracture fixation:  comparison of bending strengths of mandibular osteotomies fixed with absorbable self-reinforced multi-layer poly-l-lactide plates and metallic plates--an experimental study in sheep.
Eighteen osteotomies of sheep's mandibular corpus were fixed: nine with self-reinforced multi-layer poly-l-lactide (SR-PLLA) plates and nine with metallic plates.  Both plates were fixed with similar metallic screws.  The right corpus of each sheep acted as a control.  Radiographic analysis was carried out at 3 weeks and at sacrifice (6, 12 or 24 weeks) when the bending force needed to break the osteotomy site was measured.  At 6 and 12 weeks of follow-up the osteotomy fixed with the PLA-plate seemed to tolerate the bending force better but no significant differences were detected at 3 or 24 weeks. The results have been satisfactory and have led the authors to continue with the development of a SR-PLLA plate-and-screw device for fracture fixation.
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Helsinki, Finland.
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R
Suuronen
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T
Pohjonen
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L
Wessman
P
P
Törmälä
S
S
Vainionpää
D000042:Absorption; D000818:Animals; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D001860:Bone Plates; D001863:Bone Screws; D004867:Equipment Design; D005594:Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D008337:Mandibular Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D008422:Materials Testing; D008670:Metals; D010027:Osteotomy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D011091:Polyesters / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011859:Radiography; D012756:Sheep; D013718:Tensile Strength