Welsh et al: Biomechanical analysis of orthogonal and unilateral locking plate constructs in a fracture gap model
Veterinary Surgery 4, 2025

🔍 Key Findings

• Compared unilateral plating (UP) vs orthogonal plating (OP) with 2.0, 2.4, and 3.0 mm plates (OP2.0, OP2.4, OP3.0).
• Model: acetal homopolymer (Delrin) rod with 29 mm fixed fracture gap, loaded axially (4–196 N, 90,000 cycles).
• OP constructs had 2.5–4.1x higher strength and 3.0–4.2x higher stiffness than UP constructs (p < .0002).
• UP had 3.5–4.1x higher gap strain than OP groups (p < .0075).
• All OP groups exceeded 1000 N max load before failure (vs 424 N for UP).
• Greater implant size in OP groups further increased performance.
• All constructs survived fatigue loading; 3.5 mm plates showed deformation, especially UP; OP plates remained intact.