Arthrodesis Plates Pancarpal

Pancarpal Arthrodesis Plates

Pancarpal arthrodesis is a common salvage procedure in veterinary orthopaedics following hyper-extension injuries. 

Pancarpal arthrodesis plates achieve both appropriate screw hole spacing and appropriate screw size for the radius, radio-carpal bone and metacarpus (typically the third metacarpal bone). Most of these plates are hybrids with smaller screw holes for the metacarpus and larger screw holes for the radius and radio-carpal bone. 

Standard plates that are small enough to fit the metacarpus will not normally have the strength to bridge the carpus. Standard plates which are sufficiently strong may be too stiff in the metatarsal region and predispose to fracture at the end of the plate; they may also be excessively bulky making skin closure more challenging. Despite being the compression side of the carpus, a dorsal approach is significantly less invasive than a plantar approach. VI pancarpal arthrodesis plates are designed for dorsal application. 

Our pancarpal arthrodesis plates take all of these considerations into account creating a plate with:
• Appropriately sized and spaced screw-holes proximally
• Appropriately sized and spaced screw-holes distally
• Sufficient strength through the mid-portion
• Thinning to the distal portion reducing stress riser effects and aiding skin closure

Many of our plates now also feature proximal thinning to remove the large step at the proximal end of the plate and reduce the magnitude of the stress riser effect that may contribute to radial fracture.

Current advice is to achieve at least 50% coverage of the metacarpal