One of the most common types of surgery done by orthopedic surgeons is putting a broken bone back in place and holding it with a cranial plate and screw. The desire of orthopedic surgeons to enhance the clinical benefits of the trauma fracture fixation encouraged researchers and manufacturers to improve the clinical benefits of trauma plating systems. The plating system is modified by the implant developers by enhancing the features and designs of plates to be more adopted with the fracture pattern or indication of use.
Internal Fixation of a broken bone
Until the broken bone is enough to handle the body's weight and movement, it must be carefully stabilized and supported. The physicians and doctors relied on casts and splints to support the broken bones from outside the body until the last century. The advent of sterile surgical procedures to treat broken bone reduced the risk of infection which allows the surgeons to internally set and stabilize fractured bones.
The bone fragments are first repositioned into their normal alignment during the surgical procedure to set a fracture. The broken bone is held together to its original position with special implants such as screws, cranial plates, wires, and nails. The benefits of internal fixation include shorter hospital stays, reduce the incidence of nonunion, malunion of a broken bone, and enables patients to return to function earlier.
Cranial plate and screw
Cranial plates are attached to the bone with screws and are like internal splints that hold the broken pieces of bone together. The plates may be removed after healing is complete or they may be left in place. Amongst other implants, screws are most commonly used for internal fixation. Though plates and screws are simple devices, there are various designs based on the type of bone fracture and the use of screws in internal fixation. Screws can be used along with rods, plates, or nails and it can also be used alone to hold a fracture. With bone of different sizes, screws come in different sizes. Screws may be left in places after healing is complete or they may be removed.
The implants used for internal fixation are strong and durable as they are made from stainless steel and titanium. These implants can also be made out of cobalt and chrome if a joint is to be replaced rather than fixed. The implants rarely cause an allergic reaction and are compatible with the body.
How plates, rods, and screws are applied
In the context of orthopedics- rods, screws, and plates are all forms of internal fixation which is a method of fracture care. Unlike external fixation, internal fixation is different from the cast and it requires surgery. It is often done by surgically realigning the broken ends of a bone at the same time as an open reduction. The orthopedic surgeon will use plates, screws, and rods to hold the bones in place after the broken ends of the fractured bones are aligned.
Uses of internal fixation
When a bone cannot be set from outside of the skin, internal fixation is used. Internal fixation is used in cases where fractures have caused a wound that requires surgery, fractures that extend to joint cartilage, fractures such as hip fractures that heal better with surgery, etc.
Advantages and disadvantages of internal fixation
Faster healing time, shorter hospital time, less chance that the bone does not heal are some of the main advantages of internal fixation. Increased chance of infection when compared with external fixation is the disadvantage of internal fixation.
Final verdict
Internal fixation using cranial plate and screw have been proved to provide more stable fixation when compared systems. Looking for the best internal fixation fracture hospitals? We, MJ surgical are here to help you with the best treatment for your broken bone that too within your budget.
