Intramedullary fixation by resorbable rods in a comminuted phalangeal fracture model - A biomechanical study

The mechanical rigidity of three different methods of resorbable intramedul lary fixation (bone peg, and polyglycolide rods with and without interlocki ng) was assessed in a comminuted phalangeal fracture model and the results compared with two commonly used internal fixation devices (lateral plate, c rossed K-wires) in a cadaver model, Each fixation technique was tested for its biomechanical strength in apes palmar bending, compression and torsion. Failure testing for the three resorbable methods nas also done. The result s showed that lateral plating provided the best rigidity in apes palmar ben ding and torsion, followed by intramedullary bone peg fixation, All resorba ble intramedullary fixations had rigidity that ass at least the same as cro ssed K-wires, For the torque test, polyglycolide rods with interlocking pro vided better rigidity than without interlocking. There was no significant d ifference between the different methods in the compression test, except tha t the intramedullary bone peg nas significantly stiffer than K-wires.