Anterior Distal Tibia Locking Plate

Plating the anterior distal tibia serves a specific mechanical purpose: screws placed through the distal row travel backwards and slightly upwards, just under the subchondral bone of the plafond, so they buttress anterior articular fragments that a medial or lateral plate cannot reach. Because the screws thread into the plate, the row keeps its angle under load and holds the reduced joint surface without depending on bone quality.

The version split in this line follows bone size rather than fracture type. The narrow version suits a slender tibia and keeps hardware volume low under the thin anterior soft-tissue envelope; the wide version adds screw positions and plate width for a larger bone. Both versions share the same distal-row geometry, and the aiming-guide variants let the locking screws be placed through small incisions once the plate is slid along the anterior cortex. Version and length selection rests with the operating surgeon.

In use, the plate is positioned on the anterior face of the distal tibia with its distal row seated just above the joint line, so the locking screws form a fixed-angle frame behind the anterior articular margin. The shaft extends upwards along the anterior cortex and is fixed with locking or standard cortical screws according to the hole type. When the aiming-guide variant is used, the plate can be inserted through a limited approach and the shaft screws placed percutaneously through the guide. Reduction of the joint surface, plate version and the final screw plan are determined by the operating surgeon.

The plate geometry, distal-row angles and thread interfaces reproduce the original system design exactly, so the implant works with the instruments and screws described in the corresponding surgical technique without adaptation. BoneCraft stocks narrow and wide versions for both legs across the complete hole-count run, and wholesale orders can cover the full version range in one shipment.