F IXAT ION FOR COMMINUTED PHALANGEAL FRACTURES A b iomeehan iea l study o f five methods

The rigidities of five fixation methods have been studied with a comminuted phalangeal fracture model. Mechanical testing of compression, bending and torsion were performed for each fixation. Lateral plating with six screws seems to provide the most rigid fixation. If such lateral plating is not practicable, the four-Kirschner wire method would be a satisfactory alternative. Journal of Hand Surgery (British and European Volume, 1996) 21B: 6. " 765 767 Phalangeal fractures occur frequently (Chow et al, 1991). Different ypes of injury and severity of impact forces create hand fractures at various ites in the hand, with varying fracture geometries. Comminuted fractures are especially difficult o manage as there is no fixation method that can achieve rigid fixation. Previous biomechanical studies of different fixation methods have been conducted for transverse, oblique and spiral fractures (Black et al, 1985; 1986; Matloub et al, 1993; Vanik et al, 1984; Viegas etal, 1988). Littl