[Area of contact between osteosynthesis plate and bone in internal fixation (author's transl)].

The bone can be protected against excessive stress if the plate is properly adapted to the surface of the contact area between plate and bone, thus ensuring good and longlasting repositioning of the fracture. The article describes an in-vitro method for the quantitative evaluation of the contact area between plate and bone in osteosynthesis. With four different bones and the requisite plates, six expert surgeons were able to obtain an area of contact between plate and bone which varied between 13 and 60%, the average being 32%. The available data allow us to conclude that the peak loads of pressure occurring with small contact areas may be so great that they exceed the maximum compressive strength of the bone.