Skip to main content

General Principles of Orthopedic Plating and Overview

Handbook of Orthopaedic Trauma Implantology

Abstract

The screw was invented by Archimedes in the third century BC. Lane introduced a metal plate for internal fixation for the first time. Over the period of years, the plates and screws have evolved into different sizes and shapes by different people. The material used for making the plates and screws also has improved in characteristics. A bone plate is a load-bearing device. Absolute stability is achieved when bone heals with primary healing. An ideal implant should be biocompatible, durable, and inert, and with minimum failure. Stainless steel of 316 L grade was being used until recently. Titanium is more biocompatible and permits bending and contouring during surgery and has become popular. It is also magnetic resonance compatible.

This chapter describes the history, characteristics, biomechanics, indications, disadvantages, functions, and types of bone plates.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Battula S, Schoenfeld A, Vrabec G, Njus GO. Experimental evaluation of the holding power/stiffness of the self-tapping bone screws in normal and osteoporotic bone material. Clin Biomech. 2006;21:533–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Augat P, von Rüden C. Evolution of fracture treatment with bone plates. Injury. 2018;49:S2–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Uhthoff HK, Poitras P, Backman DS. Internal plate fixation of fractures: short history and recent developments. J Orthop Sci. 2006;11:118–26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Li J, et al. Materials evolution of bone plates for internal fixation of bone fractures: a review. J Mater Sci Technol. 2020;36:190–208.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Key JA, Reynolds FC. Contact splints Eggers vs. standard bone plates in the fixation of experimental fractures. Ann Surg. 1953; https://doi.org/10.1097/00000658-195306000-00018.

  6. Bagby GW, Janes JM. The effect of compression on the rate of fracture healing using a special plate. Am J Surg. 1958;95:761–71.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Roberts TT, Prummer CM, Papaliodis DN, Uhl RL, Wagner TA. History of the orthopedic screw. Orthopedics. 2013;36:12–4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Eggers GWN, Shindler TO, Pomerat CM. The influence of the contact-compression factor on osteogenesis in surgical fractures. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1949;31A:693–716.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Perren SM. Basic aspects of internal fixation. In: Manual of internal fixation. Berlin/Heidelberg: Springer; 1991. p. 1–158. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-02695-3_1.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  10. Frigg R, Frenk A, Wagner M. Biomechanics of plate osteosynthesis. Tech Orthop. 2007;22:203–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Seybold D, Citak M, Königshausen M, Gessmann J, Schildhauer TA. Combining of small fragment screws and large fragment plates for open reduction and internal fixation of periprosthetic humeral fractures. Int J Shoulder Surg. 2011; https://doi.org/10.4103/0973-6042.91004.

  12. Yu Z, Zheng L, Zhang Y, Li J, Ma B. Functional and radiological evaluations of high-energy tibial plateau fractures treated with doublebuttress plate fixation. Eur J Med Res. 2009;14:200.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shyamasunder N. Bhat .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Section Editor information

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

Bhat, S.N., Kumar, A. (2022). General Principles of Orthopedic Plating and Overview. In: Banerjee, A., Biberthaler, P., Shanmugasundaram, S. (eds) Handbook of Orthopaedic Trauma Implantology. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-6278-5_12-1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-6278-5_12-1

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-15-6278-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-15-6278-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference MedicineReference Module Medicine

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Chapter history

  1. Latest

    General Principles of Orthopaedic Plating and Overview
    Published:
    19 July 2023

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-6278-5_12-2

  2. Original

    General Principles of Orthopedic Plating and Overview
    Published:
    26 February 2022

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-6278-5_12-1