title: [Challenging the dogma on inferiority of stainless steel implants for fracture fixation. An end of the controversy?].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Titanium plates represent the predominant implants of choice for fracture care in Central Europe, based on the apparently favourable properties related to improved "biocompatibility". The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that the use of stainless steel implants for selected fractures represents a safe and efficient treatment modality, which is not associated with an increased rate of complications and surgical revisions.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a retrospective analysis of a prospective database during a 5-year study period (01/01/2006-12/31/2010) at an academic Level 1 Trauma Center on all fractures treated by stainless steel plates. Inclusion criteria consisted of all consecutive patients >15 years of age whose fractures were fixated with a stainless steel plate. All fractures were classified according to the AO/OTA system. Outcome parameters consisted of the rate of complications and surgical revisions, and the data were placed into context with the published complication rates for titanium plates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 1,001 consecutive patients who underwent surgical fixation of fractures in the indication spectrum of this study were screened. Of these, 751 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. These patients had 774 fractures which were fixated with 859 stainless steel plates. Open fractures accounted for 9.6% of all injuries (n=74). The complication rate of the 774 fractures treated with stainless steel plates was 8.01% (n=62), with a surgical revision rate of 5.16% (n=40). These data are below the reported incidence of complications and surgical revisions for titanium plates in the identical indication spectrum in the pertinent literature published.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The fixation of selected fractures with stainless steel implants represents a safe and efficient treatment option, which does not appear to be associated with increased complication rates. These data challenge the anecdotal superiority of titanium plates and should spur a new discussion on the use of stainless steel implants, particularly under the aspect of cost savings in the DRG era.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Denver Health Medical Center, University of Colorado School of Medicine, 777 Bannock Street, Denver, CO 80204, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Weckbach
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Losacco
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hahnhaussen
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gebhard
authors.forename: P F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Stahel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001860:Bone Plates / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013193:Stainless Steel; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D013193:Stainless Steel