Ex vivo comparison of lateral plate repairs of experimental oblique ilial fractures in cats

Objective To determine the biomechanical behavior of different plate systems used for oblique ilial fracture fixation in cats. Study design Ex vivo biomechanical study. Sample population Fifty fresh-frozen feline hemipelvises. Methods Standardized simple oblique ilial fractures were created and fixed via lateral plating, using different implant systems (10 fractures in each group) The systems were: (1) the Advanced Locking Plate System (ALPS-5); (2) the Advanced Locking Plate System (ALPS-6.5); (3) the Locking Compression Plate 2.0 (LCP); (4) the FIXIN 1.9-2.5 Series (FIXIN), and (5) the Dynamic Compression Plate 2.0 (DCP). Stepwise sinusoidal cyclic loading was applied until failure (10-mm displacement). The groups were compared with regard to construct stiffness and the number of cycles withstood before 1-, 2-, 5-, and 10-mm displacement. Results Bending stiffness was lower in ALPS-5 than in other specimens (P < .05). The ALPS-6.5 specimens withstood more cycles (P < .05) before 2-, 5-, and 10-mm displacement than the ALPS-5 and DCP specimens . The LCP and FIXIN specimens endured more cycles than DCP specimens before displaying 5- and 10-mm displacement (P < .05). The ALPS-6.5, FIXIN, and LCP specimens endured higher loads before failure than the DCP specimens (P < .05). Screw loosening occurred in all nonlocking specimens, and bone slicing occurred in all locking specimens. Conclusion The DCP and ALPS-5 constructs are less resistant to cyclic loading. Failure in nonlocking specimens involved screw loosening. It involved bone slicing in locking specimens. Clinical significance Both the plate size and the plate-screw interface are key to lateral plating success in cases of feline ilial fractures. The use of locking plates reduces the risk of the screw loosening in such cases.