Plate preparation

Non-locking plates must be anatomically contoured to the surface of the bone.

If a dynamic compression or limited contact dynamic compression plate is used, it needs to be contoured accurately to the medial surface of the bone.

In most cases, optimal plate contour to the bone is achieved by: bending the midshaft area and twisting the proximal area.

Locking plates may need some contouring; they should not be more than 2 mm away from the surface of the bone.

Compression plates must be prestressed to produce a 1-2 mm gap between the plate and the bone at the fracture sites. Over bending of the plate at the fracture lines ensures even compression across the fracture lines.

1. When using a compression plate, the load is evenly shared between the implant and the bone column.
2. When using a neutralization plate, the load is shared between the implants and the bone column.
3. When using a bridging plate, the load is completely bared by the implant.