General Principles of Orthopaedic Plating and Overview

The screw was invented by Archimedes in the third century BC. Lane introduced a metal plate for internal fixation for the first time. Over the period of years, the plates and screws have evolved into different sizes and shapes by different people. The material used for making the plates and screws also has improved in characteristics. A bone plate is a load-bearing device. Absolute stability is achieved when bone heals with primary healing. An ideal implant should be biocompatible, durable, and inert, and with minimum failure. Stainless steel of 316 L grade was being used until recently. Titanium is more biocompatible and permits bending and contouring during surgery and has become popular. It is also magnetic resonance compatible. This chapter describes the history, characteristics, biomechanics, indications, disadvantages, functions, and types of bone plates.