Biomechanical evaluation of an expandable nail for the fixation of midshaft fractures. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to compare the torsional stability of diaphyseal long bone fractures fixed with either a Fixion nail (DiscOTech, Monroe Township, NJ) or a standard locked Zimmer M/DN locked nail (Zimmer, Warsaw, IN). METHODS: Two fracture models were used to evaluate the bone-implant constructs. A transverse osteotomy was created in all tibiae, and a spiral fracture was created in all humeri. Paired specimens were randomly assigned to receive either a Fixion or Zimmer M/DN locked nail. Each implanted construct was cyclically loaded in torsion, and construct stiffness for each fracture type and each bone computed from the resulting load-displacement curves. RESULTS: Performance of the Fixon nail in the tibial transverse model was variable: 2 of 10 implanted constructs failed during testing, and average construct stiffness was significantly greater for the Zimmer nail. No significant difference was found between the stiffness of the Zimmer M/DN and Fixion implanted humeral constructs either with or without the interlock. CONCLUSIONS: Fracture type significantly affected the performance of the Fixion nail. Our results suggest that the Fixion nail is most suitable for use in fractures where torsional loads across the fracture site are shared between the nail and the bony ends of the fracture, as in a spiral fracture.

publication date

  • July 1, 2007

Research

keywords

  • Bone Nails
  • Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary
  • Humeral Fractures
  • Tibial Fractures

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 34447320529

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1097/01.TA.0000243205.24809.3f

PubMed ID

  • 17622876

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 63

issue

  • 1