Designing of a Distal Humerus Anatomical Biplanar Locking Fixation Plate.

Aims: For anatomical reduction and stable bi-columnar fixation with two separate plates, to allow early joint motion is presently the treatment of choice for distal humerus fractures. Although there is a wide range of implants available for distal humerus fractures but none provides adequate fixation in distal fragment, particularly in very distal and osteoporotic fractures. The present study was conducted to overcome such problems and develop a single pre-contoured locking plate, which can match the anatomy of different sizes of distal humerus, with maximum options of screw placement in distal fragment, preferably in multiple angular planes.

Methods: The present study describes about the development of an innovative Y-shape anatomical locking plate for distal humerus fractures, after a detailed morphological study of lower end of humerus in a large number of cadaveric bones. This plate has been designed in such a way to provide wide range of distal fixation options in both coronal as well as sagittal planes.

Discussion: The proposed plate is anatomically designed, pre-contoured locking plate construct requiring minimum further molding to match the anatomy of distal humerus in different bone sizes. All the screws are contributing to the stability of the construct. It gives wide range of screw placement options in distal fragment in both coronal and sagittal planes. It allows the surgeon to put long intercondylar screw through the plate both from medial and lateral sides.