Absorbable implants in fracture management.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Union Memorial Hospital, 3333 North Calvert Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA. lync@helix.org

The use of absorbable implants has been studied extensively in the clinic and the laboratory. The limitations of absorbable implants are now well-known and include a finite life span and strength profile, the possible development of an inflammatory response, and their limitation to use in fractures that do not require traditional compression techniques. Advantages of these implants include the lack of necessity for removal at a later date, which has cost savings potential, their ease of use, and their strength, which may be sufficient for healing in certain situations. The most likely scenarios for the use of these implants in fracture management of the foot and ankle include syndesmotic disruptions, dislocations about the midfoot, and fractures of the medial malleolus.

PMID: 12512405 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]