Premium
Fatigue Analysis of Plates Used for Fracture Stabilization in Small Dogs and Cats
Author(s) -
HAMMEL SCOTT P.,
ELIZABETH PLUHAR G.,
NOVO ROBERTO E.,
BOURGEAULT CRAIG A.,
WALLACE LARRY J.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
veterinary surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.652
H-Index - 79
eISSN - 1532-950X
pISSN - 0161-3499
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-950x.2006.00191.x
Subject(s) - medicine , cats , fracture (geology) , orthodontics , dentistry , veterinary medicine , geotechnical engineering , engineering
Objective— To evaluate the fatigue life of stacked and single, veterinary cuttable plates (VCP) and small, limited contact, dynamic compression plates (LC‐DCP). Study Design— In vitro biomechanical study. Methods— Fracture models (constructs; n=8) were assembled for each of 6 groups all with 8‐hole plates: 2.0 mm LC‐DCP; 2.4 mm LC‐DCP; single 1.5/2.0 mm VCP; stacked 1.5/2.0 mm VCP; single 2.0/2.7 mm VCP; and stacked 2.0/2.7 mm VCP. Plate(s) were secured to 2 polyvinylchloride pipe lengths, mounted in a testing system with a custom jig, and subjected to axial loading (10–100 N) for 1,000,000 cycles at 10 Hz or until failure. Differences in number of cycles to failure among groups were compared. Failure mode was determined. Results— All LC‐DCP and single VCP constructs failed before 1,000,000 cycles. Stacked 2.0/2.7 mm VCP constructs withstood 1,000,000 cycles without failure. ANOVA and Fisher's least significant difference tests demonstrated significantly more cycles to failure for the stacked 1.5/2.0 mm VCP and stacked 2.0/2.7 mm VCP compared with the single 1.5/2.0 mm VCP, single 2.0/2.7 mm VCP, 2.0 mm LC‐DCP, or 2.4 mm LC‐DCP. Constructs that failed did so through a screw hole adjacent to the gap. Conclusion— Stacked VCP constructs have greater fatigue lives than comparably sized LC‐DCP or single VCP constructs. Plates with 2.4 mm screws were not significantly different from the comparable construct with 2.0 mm screws. Clinical Relevance— Although these data reveal that stacked VCP create a superior construct with respect to cyclic fatigue, surgeons must decide whether this is a clinical advantage on a case‐by‐case basis.