Staple Technology for Fracture Fixation and Joint Arthrodesis

Staple technology use in the upper extremity has continued to evolve with the development of SMA such as Nitinol that displays superelastic properties that can be exploited for persistent compression at the fracture site. Biomechanical studies support the use of SMA staples for upper extremity fracture fixation and joint arthrodesis. To optimize biomechanical strength and clinical outcomes, it is recommended to place two sta-ples, if possible. Countersinking the staples to pre-vent hardware prominence is also recommended when possible. Placing the staples perpendicular to each other and having one staple on the compression side of the fracture site increase sta-bility of the construct. The current literature sup-ports the use of staple technology for not only joint arthrodesis in the upper extremity but also for fracture fixation with non-inferior outcomes as compared with other methods of fixation for various clinical situations.