title: Experimental study and clinical observation of minimum-contact plate in long bone fracture.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the mechanical properties and the clinical results of minimum-contact plate in the treatment of fractures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four-point bending and torsion tests were conducted to compare the new minimum contact plate (MCP) with dynamic compression plate (DCP) and limited contact dynamic compression plate (LC-DCP). The fracture healing time and growth of bony callus were observed in 29 cases of long bone fracture fixed with MCP to evaluate the advantages of this kind of plate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 29 patients who underwent MCP were followed up from 6 to 14 months. The average healing time for femoral, tibial and humeral fractures was 12, 13 and 10 weeks, respectively. All fractures were healed. No displacement of fracture, screw pullout, deformation or break of the plate were found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The bending stiffness of MCP is significantly greater than that of DCP and LC-DCP (P<0.05). MCP can protect the periosteal blood supply against avascular osseous necrosis and accelerate bone healing. It is a kind of reliable and effective plate in treatment of fractures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Trauma Surgery, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen 518035, China. yangxinjiang62@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Xin-jian
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fei
authors.forename: Zheng-guo
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hong-jun
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D001860:Bone Plates; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D017102:Fracture Healing; D005596:Fractures, Closed / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D005597:Fractures, Open / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D006810:Humeral Fractures / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D014102:Torsion Abnormality; D016896:Treatment Outcome