Hardware Removal Rates for Mandibular Angle Fractures: Comparing the 8‐Hole Strut and Champy’s Plates

Abstract

Objective: 1) Compare the rate of removal of Champy’s plates vs 8-hole strut plates used for repair of mandible angle fracture. 2) Determine the reason for removal of these plates. Method: A retrospective chart review was conducted from 2006 to 2010 comparing the removal rate between Champy’s plates and 8-hole strut plates for internal fixation of traumatic angle mandible fractures at a large adult tertiary care hospital. The reason for removal of each plate was then determined from the clinical record. Results: A total of 104 patients with a total of 106 angle fractures met the inclusion criteria for this study. A total of 73 angle fractures were treated with the 8-hole strut and 33 angle fractures were treated with Champy’s plates. There were 6 plates removed in both groups. This resulted in 8.2% of plates removed in the 8-hole strut plate group and 18.2% in the Champy’s group ( P = .133). Loose hardware was determined to be the cause of plate removal in 1 (2.7%) of the 8-hole strut plate group compared with all 6 (18.2%) of the Champy’s group ( P = .005). Conclusion: In our experience, the 8-hole strut plate has a lower rate of plate removal compared to the Champy’s plate in treating mandible angle fractures. The main reason for plate removal was loose hardware. The rate of removal for loose hardware was higher and statistically significant in the Champy’s group.