COMPARISON OF THE SIZE OF PLATES FOR FRACTURE FIXATION WITH THE SIZE OF PHALANGES AND METACARPALS IN CADAVERS OF ASIAN ORIGIN

The size and volume of plates and screws for fracture fixation of the hand (1.5-mm screws and titanium miniplates, 2.0-mm screws and stainle ss-steel AO miniplates, and 2.7-mm screws and stainless-steel AO minip lates) were compared against the phalanges and metacarpal bones and th e surrounding soft tissue from male cadavers of Asian decent. In the c adaver study, it was first established that the difference between ana tomic measurements and radiologic measurements for the interarticular bone length and midshaft width were not significant (p = .09). Second, the volume occupied by the bone showed a close association to interar ticular bone length. This finding would suggest that the volume occupi ed by the bone may be estimated from the radiographs. When the length of the plates was compared to that of the bones, the analysis showed 4 -hole and 6-hole 1.5-mm titanium miniplates, and the 4-hole and 6-hole 2.0-mm AO plates were not suitable for the middle phalanx, although o nly rarely are fractures in the middle phalanx fixed with plates. For the proximal phalanx, only the 4-hole 1.5-mm and 2.0-mm plates were su itable in length. The 6-hole 2.0-mm AO plate was Found to be suitable for only the longer proximal phalanx of the middle digit. For the meta carpals, the 5-hole 2.7-mm AO plate was found not to be suitable for t he thumb (in length) and the ring digit (in width). The commonly used plates and screws for fracture fixation of the hand may not be suitabl e in size for groups of people with smaller hand sizes, in particular some Asians and women. Copyright (C) 1998 by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand.