Radial shaft stress fracture after internal fixation using a titanium plate

A 22-year-old man, a boxer, presented with acute right forearm pain after striking a punch mitt. The patient had sustained a diaphyseal fracture of the right radius 19 months previously and was treated by minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis using a titanium reconstruction plate. Radiography revealed stress fractures beneath a proximal screw hole of the plate. The forearm was protected in a splint for 6 weeks and the fracture healed. Titanium plates are superior to stainless steel plates, due to various properties of titanium including corrosion resistance and biocompatibility. Removal of such plates is not routinely performed in our hospital, but plate removal may be warranted for patients who actively participate in certain sports.