Threaded Screw Head Inserts Improve Locking Plate Biomechanical Properties

Abstract

The methodology proposed in this study for extending fatigue life and increasing stiffness of locking plates can potentially be extended to any locking plate. Adding a screw head or screw heads to open holes in locking plates adds little additional time or expense and no morbidity to the procedure but can have substantial effects on the mechanical properties of the implant, particularly in lower-profile plates that are initially less rigid and robust.