In vitro biomechanical comparison of equine proximal interphalangeal joint arthrodesis techniques: prototype equine spoon plate versus axially positioned dynamic compression plate and two abaxial transarticular cortical screws inserted in lag fashion.
Authors: Sod Gary A, Mitchell Colin F, Hubert Jeremy D, Martin George S, Gill Marjorie S
Journal: Veterinary surgery : VS
Summary
# Editorial Summary Proximal interphalangeal joint arthrodesis remains a salvage procedure for end-stage osteoarthritis in performance horses, yet optimal fixation methods remain debated amongst equine surgeons. Researchers conducted an in vitro biomechanical analysis comparing three surgical constructs: the prototype equine spoon plate (ESP), an axially positioned 3-hole dynamic compression plate with abaxial transarticular lag screws (DCP-TLS), and examined their performance under monotonic loading to failure using equine third metacarpal and first and second phalanges. The DCP-TLS construct demonstrated superior resistance to bending and shear forces compared with the ESP, exhibiting significantly greater stiffness and load to failure across multiple planes of motion, though specific quantitative values were not detailed in this summary. These findings suggest that combining axial plate fixation with transarticular lag screws provides biomechanically advantageous stability for PIP arthrodesis; however, in vitro data must be interpreted cautiously as they do not account for biological factors, bone quality variation, or the resorptive forces occurring during clinical healing, meaning clinical outcome studies remain essential before definitively abandoning simpler single-implant techniques.
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Practical Takeaways
- •This in vitro study provides biomechanical data to inform surgical technique selection for PIP joint arthrodesis, but clinical outcomes must be verified in practice
- •Compare the mechanical properties of available fixation systems to optimize construct rigidity and durability for your cases
- •Consider that in vitro results may not fully predict in vivo performance due to biological factors and dynamic loading patterns
Key Findings
- •Biomechanical comparison of three surgical fixation techniques for equine PIP joint arthrodesis was conducted using monotonic loading
- •Study evaluated equine spoon plate (ESP) versus axial dynamic compression plate with transarticular lag screws (DCP-TLS) for joint stabilization
- •In vitro testing assessed stiffness, load-to-failure, and failure modes across different fixation constructs