Biomechanical properties of titanium elastic nail applied to a cadaveric clavicle model

BackgroundThe goal of this study was to examine biomechanical properties of titanium elastic nail fixation method that was applied to cadaveric clavicles with different thicknesses and lengths.MethodsTo test stiffness and failure load of clavicle with titanium elastic nail fixation, 12 pairs of clavicles were obtained. A short oblique fracture line (AO/OTA classification: 15-B1.2) was created at midpoint of the cadaveric bones. They were divided into four groups according to the nails with different thickness and length/diameter ratios. The fixated bones were situated on a jig that allows 3-point bending to measure stiffness and load failure.ResultsThe stiffness was measured to be mean 3.49±1.49N/mm in group 1. The stiffness for group 2 was mean 10.41±2.18N/mm, and for groups 3 and 4, the stiffness was mean 11.89±2.99N/mm and mean 24.44±4.86N/mm, respectively. When analyzed with statistics, group 1 had significant differences from groups 2 (P