Current trends in the development of long tubular bones osteosynthesis

Abstract

We reviewed scientific literature on the problem of osteosynthesis of long tubular human bones, published during the last 10 years. The Scopus, Web of Scince, Pubmed, RSCI databases were searched for the articles reporting the results of clinical studies and biomechanical experiments using plate osteosynthesis. The advantages and disadvantages of minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis for different segments have been revealed. The articles reported a lower probability of displacement development in minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis in comparison with intramedullary osteosynthesis, good biological conditions for fracture healing, decreased rate of complications of postoperative wounds due to reduced incisions. In the concept of biological osteosynthesis, the advantage of axial dynamization and fracture micro-mobility over absolute rigidity was noted. The study also revealed the influence of the parameters of a plate and osteosynthesis technique on the rigidity of the plate-bone system, such as: the working length of the plate, the number of screws on the plate, types of screws (cortical or locking), the plate material and its profile. The bone osteosynthesis seemed to have new directions of evolution. These include far cortical locking screws allowing micromobility under the plate, providing a "controlled dynamization". An experimental technology of Active Locking Plates has been reported, where the screws with angular stability are locked in holes on elastic sliding elements providing micromobility of the screw relative to the plate. In general, all the visible results differed in various studies and, sometimes, contradicted each other.