title: A distal femoral supra-condylar plate: biomechanical comparison with condylar plate and first clinical application for treatment of supracondylar fracture.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  An anatomical supra-condylar plate is designed and analysed by biomechanical testing.
  
  
  METHODS
  The biomechanical properties of the supra-condylar and condylar plate were compared in six matched pairs of cadaveric femurs. A transverse osteotomy gap was created to simulate an OTA/AO type A3 supracondylar fracture. The left and right specimens were fitted with supra-condylar and condylar plate, respectively. Nondestructive axial compression, three-point bending and torsion tests were performed, and the peak load of the bone-implant construction was measured. The fracture site suitable for supra-condylar plate application and its correlation with femoral length were calculated. The gender influence on it was also discussed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The difference of stiffness between the supra-condylar and condyle groups were not significant (P > 0.05) at 363.4 and 362.5 N/mm for compression, 229.5 and 237.6 N/mm in the sagittal plane and 195.5 and 188.4 N/mm in the coronal plane for three-point bending, and 7.5 and 7.9 Nm/deg for axial torsion, respectively. The peak load was 4438 ± 136.15 N and 5215 ± 174.33 N, respectively, for the two groups. The average extent of the fracture site suitable for the application of the supra-condylar plate was 70.86 ± 4.61 mm. The femoral length and gender showed no influence on it.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the limited bone contact area provided by the supra-condylar plate, its construct stiffness is comparable to the condylar plate. The supra-condylar plate can be used to treat carefully-selected extra-articular supracondylar fractures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic, The 175th Hospital of PLA (Affliated Dongnan Hospital of Xiamen University), Zhangzhou, 363000, China.
authors.forename: Bowei
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Zhenqi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Junguo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Wenliang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhai
authors.forename: Liangqi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Mo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sha
authors.forename: Dongzhu
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D015519:Bone Density; D001860:Bone Plates; D002102:Cadaver; D005260:Female; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008422:Materials Testing; D010027:Osteotomy / Q000379:methods*; D014025:Titanium; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014025:Titanium