Biomechanical characteristics of rib fracture fixation systems.

Background: The primary aim of this study was to determine and compare the biomechanical properties of a fractured or intact rib after implant fixation on an embalmed thorax.

Methods: Five systems were fixated on the bilateral fractured or intact (randomly allocated) 6th to 10th rib of five post-mortem embalmed human specimens. Each rib underwent a four-point bending test to determine the bending structural stiffness (Newton per m), load to failure (Newton), failure mode, and the relative difference in bending structural stiffness and load to failure as compared to a non-fixated intact rib.