Original Research
Periarticular Locking Plate vs Intramedullary Nail for Tibiotalocalcaneal Arthrodesis: A Biomechanical Investigation
Am J Orthop. 2011 February;40(2):78-83
Author and Disclosure Information
Blake L. Ohlson, MD, Meena W. Shatby, MD, Brent G. Parks, MSc, Kacey L. White, BS, and Lew C. Schon, MD
Dr. Ohlson and Dr. Shatby are Fellows, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Mr. Parks is Director, and Ms. White is Engineer, Biomechanics Laboratory, and Dr. Schon is Attending, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Union Memorial Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland.
Augmented retrograde intramedullary (IM) nail fixation was compared with augmented periarticular locking- plate fixation for tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis. Specimens in 10 matched pairs were randomly assigned to a fixation construct and loaded cyclically in dorsiflexion. The groups did not differ in initial or final stiffness, load to failure, or construct deformation. No correlation was found between bone mineral density and construct deformation for either group. A humeral locking plate may be a viable alternative to an IM nail for tibiotalocalcaneal fixation in cases not amenable to IM nailing.