Biomechanical comparison of locking compression plate fixation and a novel pedicle screw external fixation to repair equine mandibular fractures.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the biomechanical properties of pedicle screw external fixation (PDW) for equine mandibular fracture repair and compare PDW to locking compression plates (LCP). STUDY DESIGN: Cadaveric study. SAMPLE POPULATION: Sixteen adult equine mandibles. METHODS: Four mandibles were kept intact, while 12 were osteotomized and stabilized with the LCP or PDW construct (6 mandibles/group). Failure, stiffness, and yield were calculated from quasi-static ramp to failure and compared with previous analysis of mandibular fracture constructs. Tooth root involvement and method of failure were determined from radiographs and videos. RESULTS: Locking compression plate constructs achieved greater stiffness and load at failure (4656 ± 577 N-m/radian, 558 ± 27 N-m P < .05) compared with PDW constructs (2626 ± 127 N-m/radian, 315 ± 48 N-m). Yield did not differ between types of fixation (369 ± 57 N-m, 193 ± 35 N-m, P = .145). Tooth involvement was noted in two LCP constructs with failure via bone fracture. Pedicle screw external fixation constructs failed via wire unraveling and screw bending. CONCLUSION: Locking compression plate fixation increased stiffness and failure of constructs but did not influence yield. It also increased the risk to tooth root involvement relative to fixation with PDW. Compared with another study, PDW offered stiffness and failure similar to an intraoral splint with interdental wires, external fixator (EF), and external fixator with wires (EFW) and yield similar to an EF, an EFW, and a dynamic compression plate. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Pedicle screw external fixation offers biomechanical stability comparable to other relevant mandibular fixation techniques and reduces the risk of tooth root damage compared with LCP fixation.