Design and preclinical study of a fracture reduction and fixation system

To investigate the safety, efficacy, and clinical value of a fracture reduction and fixation system.

The design and application of components [Kirschner wire (K-wire) limiter and K-wire guiding locking device] of the fracture reduction and fixation system were described. Six surgeons implanted K-wires into synthetic bones using the K-wire limiter or by perception respectively, and the length of K-wire protrusion was assessed. K-wire guiding locking device combined with locking plates and two 1.5 mm K-wires, two 1.5 mm K-wires, as well as two 2.0 mm K-wires were used to fix a fracture model constructed by synthetic bones, and the torque at failure was measured.

The K-wire limiter reduced the length of K-wire protrusion(P < 0.001). The failure torque of fractures fixed by K-wire guiding locking device with locking plates and two 1.5 mm K-wires was larger than those fixed with two 1.5 mm K-wires and two 2.0 mm K-wires(P < 0.05).

The fracture reduction and fixation system offers a new technique for reducing and reconstructing fractures, assessing and optimizing the position of locking plate screws, as well as protecting the blood supply of fractures.