Function and Application of Bone Screws Flashcards
What are the 3 applications of bone screws?
- Combination with plate/interlocking nail
- # reconstruction combined with plate, EDF, IM pin
- # of cancellous bone
Oblique diaphyseal fractures or fractures with large bone fragments can be reduced and stabilised with lag screws. Why are Lag screws are preferable to cerclage wires?
Placed to give more compression
True or false
Bone screws should never be used in isolation for diaphyseal #?
TRUE
What are the 3 basic screw types?
- cortical
- cancellous
- locking screw
Generally speaking, which bone type are cortical screws used in? (3)
- Diaphyseal
- Cortical
- Metaphyseal (dogs + cats)
Cortical screw:
A) Thread?
B) Pitch steepness?
C) threads per unit length compared to cancellous?
A) Fully threaded
B) Less steep
C) More
Is a cancellous or cortical screw stronger for the same size?
Cortical
True or false:
Cortical bone is only 2-3 mm thick in places
True
True or false:
With cortical screws the priority is to have a minimum number of threads engaging
FALSE
What are cancellous screws used for? (2)
To compress fragments of epiphyseal or metaphyseal bone
Cancellous screws:
A) Thread?
B) Thread depth?
C) Number of threads per unit length?
D) Pitch?
A) Partial or full
B) Deep
C) Relatively few
D) High (steep angle)
What surface area of cancellous screws thread in contact with the relatively low-density bone?
Large
Why are cancellous screws weaker?
Narrower ore diameter
Locking screws:
A) Head?
B) Pitch?
C) Core diameter?
A) Threaded
B) Narrow
C) Large
What are locking screws used in combination with?
Locking plates (in which the locking head engages with the threaded locking plate hole.)
Too much pressure needs to be avoided when using a drill - why? (2)
- Prevent damage to transcortex
- Avoid too larger hole
After using a depth gauge; what size screw is used?
Insert a screw 1-2mm longer than the measurement obtained with the depth gauge to ensure a full thread engages the transcortex.
If a screw strips accidentally; how can this be rectified?
screw one size larger can be used as ‘rescue screw’.
What equipment is needed to place screws? (7)
- Screwdriver
- Drill guide
- Tap
- Measure
- Drill
- Screws
- Bone plate