Stability of locking and non-locking plates in an osteoporotic calcaneal fracture model.

Background: The aim of this biomechanical cadaver study of calcaneal fractures was to investigate whether a locking calcaneal plate provides more stiffness in osteoporotic bone compared to a non-locking plate.

Materials And Methods: Sixteen fresh frozen bone mineral density (BMD)-matched cadaver feet were tested in a four-part model of a Sanders Type IIB calcaneal fracture. The fractures were fixed either with a non-locking AO (Sanders) plate or an interlocking AO plate (Synthes, Paoli, PA) to the lateral calcaneal wall with six screws.