Self-designed conical point contact plate and clinical application.
OBJECTIVE
To design a new kind of conical point contact plate (CPCP) in treatment of diaphyseal fracture to avoid further dam age to the blood supply of the cortex.


METHODS
There were 4 pairs of conicles with a diameter of 1. 5-4 mm beneath the plate symmetrically. The nibs of the conicles were embedded about 1-1.5 mm in the cortex by the axial force of screws. The conicle provided a gap about 2 mm between the plate and the bone so as not to compress the periosteum and cortex. And the periostem did not need to be stripped off during operation and there was no need of postoperative external fixation.


RESULTS
Forty-two cases with diaphyseal fracture were stabilized by using CPCP. The patients could do joint exercise without loading after operation. Partial weight bearing could be performed in 4-6 weeks postoperatively. There was no obvious external callus in these cases. The average time of bone healing was 3 months in the tibia and forearm fracture and 4 months in the femur. Complications such as infection, non-union or malunion etc. were not found. The implant was removed 6-10 months after operation.


CONCLUSIONS
CPCP has the advantages of drastic reduction of the implant-to-bone interface virtually, elimination of the impairment of the periosteal blood supply, increase of the rate of healing and good stability which meets the need of early functional exercise.
Lin
Z
Z
Department of Orthopedics, Chaoyang People's Hospital, Chaoyang 515100, China.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001860:Bone Plates; D002648:Child; D018483:Diaphyses / Q000293:injuries*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000601:surgery; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D017102:Fracture Healing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011885:Radius Fractures / Q000601:surgery; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014458:Ulna Fractures / Q000601:surgery