Biomechanical analysis of five fixation techniques used in glenohumeral arthrodesis

Background:  The purpose of the present study is to compare five fixation techniques in shoulder fusion. The most common complications resulting from shoulder fusion, non‐union and unacceptable arm position, might reflect a failure to achieve rigid fixation during the surgical procedure. Methods:  T...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:ANZ journal of surgery 2003-12, Vol.73 (12), p.1015-1017
Main Authors: Miller, Bruce S., Harper, Wade P., Gillies, R. Mark, Sonnabend, David H., Walsh, William R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
arthritis
Arthrodesis - methods
Biomechanical Phenomena
Cadaver
fusion
Humans
Male
shoulder
Shoulder Joint - physiology
Shoulder Joint - surgery
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Background:  The purpose of the present study is to compare five fixation techniques in shoulder fusion. The most common complications resulting from shoulder fusion, non‐union and unacceptable arm position, might reflect a failure to achieve rigid fixation during the surgical procedure. Methods:  Twenty‐five shoulder fusions were carried out on human cadaveric specimens using the following techniques: screw fixation, external fixation, external fixation supplemented with screw fixation, single plate fixation and double plate fixation. Each specimen was tested on a servohydraulic machine to determine stiffness. Results:  There was a statistically significant difference in bending and torsional stiffness between all five fixation techniques. Normalized bending (B) and torsional stiffness (T), in descending order, were: double plate (B = 1.00, T = 1.00), single plate (B = 0.77, T = 0.89), external fixation with screws (B = 0.68, T = 0.74), external fixation alone (B = 0.40, T = 0.53), and screws alone (B = 0.13, T = 0.26). Conclusion:  The risk of the most common complications resulting from shoulder fusion might be minimized if these biomechanical findings are applied to surgical decision making.
ISSN:1445-1433
1445-2197
DOI:10.1046/j.1445-2197.2003.t01-7-.x