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14th Triennial Congress of the International Federation of Societies for Surgery of the Hand (IFSSH), 11th Triennial Congress of the International Federation of Societies for Hand Therapy (IFSHT)

17.06. - 21.06.2019, Berlin

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Advantages of radiolucent PEEK-circular plates in midcarpal arthrodeses

Meeting Abstract

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  • presenting/speaker Sven Kirsten - MediClin-Hospital, Plau am See, Germany

International Federation of Societies for Surgery of the Hand. International Federation of Societies for Hand Therapy. 14th Triennial Congress of the International Federation of Societies for Surgery of the Hand (IFSSH), 11th Triennial Congress of the International Federation of Societies for Hand Therapy (IFSHT), 11th Triennial Congress of the International Federation of Societies for Hand Therapy (IFSHT). Berlin, 17.-21.06.2019. Düsseldorf: German Medical Science GMS Publishing House; 2020. DocIFSSH19-1495

doi: 10.3205/19ifssh0328, urn:nbn:de:0183-19ifssh03284

Published: February 6, 2020

© 2020 Kirsten.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. See license information at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

Outline

Text

Objectives/Interrogation:

1.
Known problems with conventional metal-plates
2.
Comparable usability and results with PEEK-plates
3.
Advantages of PEEK-plates because of radiolucency

Methods: About 20 patients with conventional metal-plates were compared to about 20 cases with PEEK-plates concerning:

  • adequate mid-term functional outcome in four-corner-fusion
  • X-ray-analysis on accuracy and time of determination of consolidation

Results and Conclusions: PEEK-midcarpal-plates have the same biomechanical potential for similar clinical outcomes as conventional materials, but they offer a much better and earlier evaluation of the fusion rates (Tables).

So PEEK is much more reliable not only for the operating specialist, but also for surgeons outside when deciding the end of splinting and start of physio and increasing load. PEEK even might help shorten rehabilitation time, because assessing the X-rays is reliable earlier and possible for at least two weeks (vs. up to 3 months).