Single-Joint Fusion Plate, Titanium

Fusing one joint sounds simple until the forces are counted: even a small articulation of the midfoot sees bending loads with every step, and a fusion site that moves does not unite. A dedicated single-joint plate therefore concentrates on rigidity within a small footprint, holding the prepared surfaces in tight apposition while bone bridges the gap.

The two geometries approach rigidity differently. The X-type plate works actively: its crossed arms and compression holes draw the joint together as the screws are driven, so the plate itself generates part of the compression. The ring-type plate works passively: its closed loop frames the fusion site and blocks bending from any direction once the surfaces have been compressed. The choice between them follows the joint, the approach and the preference of the operating surgeon.

In use, the joint surfaces are prepared and opposed, and the plate is centred over the fusion site. With the X-type plate the screws are seated in sequence so that the compression holes draw the surfaces together; with the ring-type plate the loop is fixed on both sides of the joint after compression has been applied. Provisional K-wires hold the position while alignment is checked under the image intensifier. The joint to be fused, the geometry and the screw sequence are determined by the operating surgeon.

The plates reproduce the original system geometry exactly, so they accept the screws and instruments described in the corresponding surgical technique without adaptation. BoneCraft stocks both geometries, and wholesale orders can combine them with the column fusion plates and the universal fusion plates of the same foot system in one shipment.