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Compression Plates – Use, Structure, and Types

Orthopedic surgery is performed to treat various conditions like injuries, deformities, or traumas of the musculoskeletal system. The musculoskeletal system is comprised of bones, joints, soft tissues, and muscles. Muscles act as a covering over the bones and help in protecting them. They also allow them to move. The bones are connected through ligaments. Tendons connect muscles to bones. Orthopedic surgery is commonly conducted for soft tissue repair, joint replacement, bone fracture repair, osteotomy, arthroscopy, and spine fusion. It is usually the knee that requires surgery. In dogs, there are surgeries like TTA and TPLO in which the anterior or cranial cruciate ligament rupture is treated. Hence, orthopedic surgery is a very important branch of surgery. Thanks to orthopedic surgeons, so many conditions that were considered untreatable before can now be treated easily. There are surgical solutions for many chronic pains and illnesses. Limping problems in different animals can also be treated now through surgery.
Surgeons use multiple instruments during surgery. Some are used temporarily during the surgical procedure, while others are inserted inside the body permanently. Compression plates are used to treat severe bone fractures in which the bone splits into pieces that need to be joined together again in order to let them heal. Let us discuss them in detail.

Compression Plate:

Compression plates are used to stabilize the fracture by compressing the bone fragments together to eliminate all inter-fragmentary motion. The compression plates are used to repair fractures where the bone is split into two parts. The bone fragments are compressed together using screws. These plates require a long surgical incision to be inserted properly. There is a possibility for the fracture to reoccur through the screw holes after the plate is removed.

Structure:

The structure of the compression plates includes an elongate plate with ovoid or round holes in it. The holes allow the screws to be inserted. The screw head compresses the bone by forcing the plate to move along the bone. The length of the plate is very important for this procedure to succeed. The plate should be long enough to allow the insertion of a number of screws on each side of the fracture for stability.

Static vs. Dynamic Compression Plate

While inserting static compression plates, the tension applied to the implant comes before the compression of the fracture site. This technique is used when the insertion of lag screws is not possible.
Dynamic Compression Plates uses the tension band principle to compress bones. In this technique, the compression plate is applied on the convex side. It prevents the occurrence of gaps and applies a strong compression force to the fracture.

Types:

There are many types of compression plates. Let us discuss the two most commonly used plates in detail.

1.    Swiss Style Compression Plate

Swiss Style Compression Plates are used to fix fractured bones. They are available in multiple sizes and styles. They are made from German stainless steel that keeps them strong and rustproof. They are available with multiple variations in sizes and styles.

2.    GV Style Compression Plate

GV Style Compression Plate compresses the bone fragments together to restore the stability of the fracture. These plates are easy to apply to the surgical site. They are biocompatible and do not cause harm to the surrounding tissue.

Compression plates play a remarkable role in healing fractured bones. They can be a good part of your collection. Buy them now and avail the limited-time offer of a 15% discount on all compression plates.