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Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol 2014; 27(02): 107-112
DOI: 10.3415/VCOT-13-06-0084
Original Research
Schattauer GmbH

Biomechanical testing of a hybrid locking plate fixation of equine sesamoid osteotomies

E. Almeida da Silveira
1   Département de Sciences Cliniques, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Canada
,
A. Levasseur
2   École de technologie supérieure, Montréal, Canada
,
M. Lacourt
1   Département de Sciences Cliniques, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Canada
,
Y. Elce
1   Département de Sciences Cliniques, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Canada
,
Y. Petit
2   École de technologie supérieure, Montréal, Canada
› Author AffiliationsThe limbs used in this study were prepared in the Centre Hopitalier Universitaire Vétérinaire at the Université de Montréal and they were tested in the Laboratoire de recherche en imagerie et orthopédie at the Hôpital Sacre Coeur de Montréal.
Further Information

Publication History

Received: 25 June 2013

Accepted: 19 January 2013

Publication Date:
20 December 2017 (online)

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Summary

Objective

To compare the biomechanical properties of a hybrid locking compression plate (LCP) construct with the compression screw technique as a treatment for transverse mid-body proximal sesamoid bone fractures.

Methods

Ten paired forelimbs from abattoir horses were used. The medial proximal sesamoid bone of each limb was osteotomized transversely and randomly assigned, to either repair with a two-hole 3.5 mm LCP or a 4.5 mm cortical screw placed in lag fashion. Each limb was tested biomechanically by axial loading in single cycle until failure. The point of failure was evaluated from the loaddisplacement curves. Then a gross evaluation and radiographs were performed to identify the mode of failure.

Results

The loads to failure of limbs repaired with the hybrid LCP construct (4968 N ± 2167) and the limbs repaired with the screw technique (3009 N ± 1091) were significantly different (p <0.01). The most common mode of failure was through a comminuted fracture of the apical fragment of the proximal sesamoid bone.

Clinical significance

The LCP technique has potential to achieve a better fracture stability and healing when applied to mid-body fractures of the proximal sesamoid bone. Further testing, particularly fatigue resistance is required to corroborate its potential as a treatment option for mid-body fractures of the proximal sesamoid bone.

Keywords

Mid-body fracture - proximal sesamoid bone - locking compression plate - biomechanics - horses
 

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