Metrological analysis of stabilization material damages in AO treatment method

UNLABELLED: The aim of the study was the assessment of the material damages within the AO plates, used in fractures stabilization. Both the fixation material that became fractured and the fixation material removed without essential macroscopic damages were taken into consideration. There were 40 randomly chosen patients in the studied group (20 women and 20 men), who underwent stabilization of the fracture with the use of AO method in Second Department of Surgery of the Jagiellonian University Medical College between 2000-2009, followed by the removal of the fixation material and its metrological analysis. The mean age of patients in the studied group was 38 years. The mean follow-up was 4,3 years (2-11 y.). Complete bone union was achieved in 37 patients after the stabilization. Loosening and fracure of the fixation matierial was observed in 3 patients. Another stabilization surgery was necessary in these cases. After metrological analysis of the fixation material noticeable surface damages were found in 6 patients and damages within the holes in 20 plates, including 3 fractures. Damages of the fixation material were taking place mostly in patients with the femoral bone fractures. CONCLUSIONS: 1) There are two typical damages of the stabilization plates: the surface damage and the damage within the screw holes. 2) Damage and loosening of the plates are mainly caused by its re-modelling and traumatisation during the surgery. 3) No essential surface changes were observed within most of the AO plates and the changes within the screw holes are observed in half of the cases.