Deciding which fixation device is the “best” depends on a number of variables. Some of them are under the control of the surgeon; some of them are under the patient's control; and others are uncontrollable. Therefore, the best fixation device is the one chosen by a knowledgeable surgeon and an informed patient. Together, they make the proper selection. No fixation device is infallible. All devices bring to the operating suite some morbidity during insertion, retrieval, or revision.
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Mecham et al. (1999) studied this question.