Precontoured buttress plate vs reconstruction plate for acetabulum posterior wall fractures: A biomechanical study

Figure 1 The plates used to fix the fracture pattern in the experimental model system. A: A 16-hole precontoured buttress plate with six bicortical screws; B: A 5-hole conventional curved reconstruction plate with five bicortical screws. The screws were fixed throughout the posterior acetabular wall.

Figure 2 Synthetic hemipelvis models mounted in a polyurethane block for proper positioning when axial load is applied through the polyurethane block. A: A 16-hole precontoured anatomic buttress plate; B: A 5-hole conventional curved reconstruction plate.

Figure 3 Parameters measured during the test procedure. AL: Posterosuperior fracture line vertical to the ground surface; BL: Posterior wall fracture line horizontal to the ground; CL: Posteroinferior fracture line vertical to the ground surface.

Figure 4 Comparison of distribution graphs for the conventional curved reconstruction plate and precontoured anatomical buttress plate. The slope of the linear part of the graph represents stiffness. L: Left hemipelvis model fixated with precontoured anatomical buttress plate; R: Right hemipelvis model fixated with conventional curved reconstruction plate.