title: Preliminary experience with Piccolo Composite™, a radiolucent distal fibula plate, in ankle fractures.
abstract: The radiolucent plate has many advantageous properties in the treatment of complex ankle fractures, particularly trimalleolar fractures. Surgeons may sometimes have difficulty observing the posterior malleolus after synthesis of lateral malleolus with a traditional plate because common materials of conventional plates are not radiolucent. In this study, the authors highlight the importance of the radiolucent property in the treatment of ankle fractures and describe their preliminary experience with a carbon fibre-reinforced polyetheretherketone distal fibula plate, with good results at 4 months' follow-up and no signs of tissue inflammatory reaction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, AUSL Piacenza, Italy. Electronic address: marco.caforio@tiscali.it.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Caforio
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, S. Andrea Hospital, University of Rome, La Sapienza, Italy.
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Perugia
authors.affiliation: Reparative Orthopaedic Surgery Department, G. Pini Institute, University of Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Colombo
authors.affiliation: Reparative Orthopaedic Surgery Department, G. Pini Institute, University of Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgio Maria
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Calori
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, AUSL Piacenza, Italy.
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maniscalco
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D064386:Ankle Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D001577:Benzophenones; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D001860:Bone Plates; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007659:Ketones; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D011108:Polymers; D011859:Radiography; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D001577:Benzophenones; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D007659:Ketones; D011108:Polymers; C063834:polyetheretherketone; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols
keywords: Ankle fractures; PEEK; Radiolucent plate; Time of surgery