The usability of locally-made miniplate and screw compared to the existing imported miniplate and screw

Abstract

Open reduction and internal fixation using miniplate and screw is still the best treatment of displaced facial fracture with functional impairment and cosmetic deformity. However, imported miniplate and screw currently widely used are highly costly. Therefore, a locally-made miniplate and screw which is cost-efficient and has the same quality with the imported brand is introduced. This study aims to evaluate the usability of locally-made miniplate and screw in comparison with the imported miniplate and screw. Cross over experimental study was conducted with sixteen plastic surgery residents randomized to receive both locally-made and imported miniplate and screw and placed them on the inferior orbital rim of polyurethane skull model. Time to complete the placement was recorded. Each subject received questionnaire to evaluate the usability of miniplate and screw in terms of operator's comfort, screw fit to screwdriver, plate bending, and self-taping of the screw. Subsequently, two craniofacial consultants were given scoring sheet to evaluate the stability and the adaptability of each miniplate and screw. The results showed that the usability of locally-made miniplate and screw was not inferior compared to the imported brand. Nevertheless, the self-taping feature of locally-made screw may be improved to produce better quality.