Locking plates for corrective osteotomy of malunited dorsally tilted distal radial fractures: a biomechanical study.

The purpose of the study was to compare the biomechanical properties of five different palmar fixation plate designs in a distal radius osteotomy cadaver model. A 1 cm metaphyseal osteotomy gap was made to simulate a corrective osteotomy and the osteotomy plated. Axial load was applied to the distal end of each construct by a material testing machine under control of a motion analysis video system. The specimens were arranged into five implant groups of eight specimens each. No test group developed deformity and movement of the fracture gap greater than 2 mm with a load of 100 N. Increasing the load to 250 N revealed statistically significant differences in stiffness and failure load betwe…