BIOMECHANICAL ANALYSIS OF ORTHOGONAL AND UNILATERAL LOCKING PLATE CONSTRUCTS IN A FRACTURE GAP MODEL

Objective: The primary aim of this study was to compare unilaterally plated (UP) constructs and orthogonally plated (OP) constructs of differing sizes (3.5 mm + 2.0 mm locking plates [OP2.0], 3.5 mm + 2.4 mm locking plates [OP2.4] and 3.5 mm + 3.0 mm locking plates [OP3.0]) under cyclic and static axial compression load to failure testing using a fracture gap model. The secondary aim was to evaluate the effect of cyclic loading on load to failure testing and to determine if increasing the overall strength and stiffness of the construct by adding orthogonal plates has an effect on cyclic fatigue strength and stiffness when compared to non-fatigued constructs.