Ulnar shortening osteotomy with a new sliding-hole plate.

Ulnar shortening osteotomy represents a common procedure for surgical treatment of the ulnar impaction syndrome but is still associated with complications like malrotation, angulation, or malunion because of incomplete closure of the osteotomy gap. Therefore, the authors developed a special 7-hole compression plate that allows fixation of the ulna before the osteotomy is carried out to prevent rotation. With this plate, a shortening of up to 10 mm is possible and the compression holes allow closure of the osteotomy gap. The plate has been used in 23 ulnar shortening cases at their center with good results. The authors describe the technique and report their results of ulnar shortening with this device.