A compression force comparison study among three staple fixation systems.

Traditional staples have recently been redesigned with both new materials and engineering techniques to facilitate interfragmentary compression in theory, resulting in greater friction between bone fragments to counteract shearing forces. In the current study, the biomechanical properties of 3 different staples were investigated. The interfacial force at 2 different sites within a calcaneal bone model was measured after insertion and activation of the OSStaple, the UNI-CLIP, and the Smith and Nephew Standard Large Staple after precompression with the SYNTHES Small Distractor. Additionally, the ability of each staple to maintain compression over a short period of time was investigated. In the current bench study, the OSStaple consistently generated the greatest and most uniform compression across the bone model osteotomy and was also capable of sustaining the compression over the duration of all of the trials.