Foot Plate Instrument Set — 2.7 and 3.5 mm Locking and Cortical Screw System

Instruments Set for Foot System, SKU PS-OP-02787, is a 32-component German-forged stainless steel system for 2.7 mm and 3.5 mm locking or cortical plate fixation. The Q.301 configuration includes 0.8 Nm and 1.5 Nm torque-limiting handles; 2.7 mm and 3.5 mm cortical and locking taps; 30 mm and 60 mm depth gauges; paired Ø2.0 mm, Ø2.2 mm, Ø2.5 mm, and Ø2.8 mm drill bits; paired Ø2.2 mm and Ø2.9 mm drill sleeves; T-shaped and straight quick-assembly handles; two countersinks; star and hexagonal driver shafts; double-ended drill guides; a star-driver handle; and an instrument container. The set supports plate-and-screw fixation during first metatarsophalangeal arthrodesis, Lapidus fusion, metatarsal osteotomy, calcaneal osteotomy, midfoot arthrodesis, selected ankle or hindfoot reconstruction, and internal fixation of metatarsal, cuboid, navicular, or cuneiform fractures. The drill and tap combinations distinguish 2.7 mm from 3.5 mm implant preparation, while separate pathways support locking and nonlocking cortical screws. Foot and ankle surgeons, orthopedic trauma surgeons, podiatric surgeons, hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, and specialist orthopedic units use the set for drilling, depth measurement, tapping, countersinking, insertion, and torque-controlled final tightening.

Matched Drilling, Tapping, and Torque Control

The instrumentation operates through matched screw-preparation pathways rather than a single universal drill sequence. For 2.7 mm cortical fixation, the Ø2.0 mm bit prepares the pilot channel before the HA2.7 cortical tap is used when pretapping is required. The 2.7 mm locking pathway uses the Ø2.2 mm cutting tool and corresponding locking sleeve to maintain alignment through the threaded plate hole before the HC2.7 tap or compatible screw is introduced. For 3.5 mm cortical screws, the Ø2.5 mm bit creates the tract associated with the HA3.5 tap. The listed 3.5 mm locking sequence uses an Ø2.8 mm drill and Ø2.9 mm sleeve, followed by the HC3.5 tap according to the compatible implant protocol. Double-ended guides align drilling from either working end, while the 30 mm and 60 mm gauges measure different tract-length ranges after channel preparation. Straight and T-shaped quick-assembly handles accept compatible shafts; the straight pattern supports axial control, while the T-profile provides increased leverage during tapping or extraction. Final insertion uses the driver interface specified by the screw head. The 0.8 Nm and 1.5 Nm handles limit applied torque at their calibrated thresholds during final tightening.

Foot and Ankle Fixation Workflow

Following reduction, osteotomy, joint preparation, or fracture exposure, the selected plate is positioned over the metatarsal, tarsal, calcaneal, or distal periarticular surface. A drill guide is seated in the plate hole before the matching bit prepares the screw tract. Nonlocking cortical screws can be inserted initially to draw the plate toward bone or generate compression where the plate design permits it. Locking guides constrain the drilling axis relative to a threaded plate hole so the screw head can engage the plate at the designed angle. The depth gauge measures the tract before the surgeon selects implant length. Dense cortical bone can be pretapped with the corresponding HA or HC instrument. Countersinking prepares the near cortex for a screw-head profile when specified by the nonlocking fixation technique. The driver shaft is connected to the straight, T-shaped, or calibrated torque handle according to the workflow stage. In first metatarsophalangeal arthrodesis and Lapidus fusion, 2.7 mm components may address smaller fragments or lower-profile plates, while 3.5 mm instruments support larger metatarsal, midfoot, calcaneal, or hindfoot constructs. Final tightening follows reduction assessment and imaging. The set does not include plates, screws, reduction forceps, osteotomy instruments, fluoroscopy, or system-specific alignment jigs.

Selection of the 2.7 mm and 3.5 mm Components

The 2.7 mm family comprises HA2.7 and HC2.7 taps, Ø2.0 mm cortical and Ø2.2 mm locking drill bits, an Ø2.2 mm locking sleeve, a countersink, and the associated guide or driver interfaces. These components suit compatible lower-profile plates applied to metatarsals, phalangeal fusion constructs, smaller tarsal fragments, and selected periarticular fixation. The 3.5 mm family includes HA3.5 and HC3.5 taps, Ø2.5 mm cortical and Ø2.8 mm locking bits, an Ø2.9 mm sleeve, a hexagonal driver shaft, and corresponding drill guidance. This sequence is selected for compatible plates requiring greater screw diameter in the first metatarsal, medial column, calcaneus, talus, or hindfoot. The 30 mm gauge addresses shorter screw tracts commonly encountered in smaller bones, whereas the 60 mm model extends measurement for larger osseous corridors. The 0.8 Nm handle supplies the lower tightening threshold; the 1.5 Nm version serves the higher-torque interface specified by the implant system. Q.301.18 and Q.301.19 are shared-system instruments identified for upper-limb or radius applications in the supplied configuration. They should only be used when their countersink or star-drive geometry matches the selected implant and documented surgical technique.

German Stainless Steel and Reprocessing Requirements

German-forged stainless steel provides the rigidity, wear resistance, and corrosion control required for reusable drills, taps, guides, gauges, and driver shafts. A satin surgical finish reduces reflective glare and supports inspection for corrosion, discoloration, impact damage, and retained biological residue. Drill flutes and countersink edges require examination for dulling or chipping, while tap threads must remain complete and free from compacted bone. Torque handles require functional assessment under the manufacturer’s maintenance program because external appearance does not establish calibration accuracy. Quick-assembly connections should engage fully without excessive rotational play or unintended shaft release. Immediately after use, instruments should undergo decontamination before blood and bone debris dry within flutes, threads, guide channels, or coupling recesses. Detachable shafts must be separated from their handles for cleaning according to the supplied instructions. After rinsing and complete drying, components can be arranged in the container and steam sterilized through the healthcare facility’s validated cycle. CE documentation supports European conformity review, while ISO 13485 concerns the manufacturer’s medical-device quality management system. United States buyers should evaluate applicable FDA establishment, listing, classification, labeling, and import documentation without treating registration as individual product approval. Traceability and calibration records should remain associated with SKU PS-OP-02787.

Product Specification 

How does this set differ from a 2.0 or 2.4 mm mini-fragment system?
A mini-fragment system uses smaller plates, screws, drills, taps, guides, and driver interfaces for limited bone dimensions or small fragments. The Instruments Set for Foot System is arranged around 2.7 mm and 3.5 mm locking and cortical fixation. It includes Ø2.0–2.8 mm pilot drills and two calibrated torque thresholds. Its 30 mm and 60 mm gauges also cover a broader screw-length workflow than many dedicated mini-fragment trays. Mini-fragment instrumentation may be selected for phalanges or small periarticular fragments where a 2.7 mm implant is too large. The systems cannot be interchanged unless the plate, screw, drill, tap, guide, and driver interfaces are documented as compatible.

When are the 2.7 mm and 3.5 mm instruments selected?
The 2.7 mm sequence is used with compatible lower-profile fixation involving metatarsals, selected tarsal fragments, and smaller fusion constructs. The 3.5 mm pathway supports larger plates and screws used across the medial column, calcaneus, talus, first metatarsal, or hindfoot. A 2.0 mm drill corresponds to the listed 2.7 mm cortical pathway, while the Ø2.2 mm tool supports its locking sequence. The 3.5 mm cortical and locking pathways use Ø2.5 mm and Ø2.8 mm bits respectively. Selection depends on fragment dimensions, bone stock, plate design, screw type, working length, and the manufacturer’s technique. The Instruments Set for Foot System depth gauges determine tract length after drilling but do not select the implant diameter.

What do CE, ISO 13485, and FDA compliance mean for buyers?
CE documentation supports conformity assessment for the applicable European medical-device framework. ISO 13485 certification addresses the manufacturer’s documented medical-device quality management system. United States procurement requires review of applicable FDA establishment, listing, classification, labeling, and import records. Registration or listing does not mean that the FDA has approved the individual set. Buyers evaluating the Instruments Set for Foot System should match documentation to the legal manufacturer, product identity, validity period, and destination market. These records should remain with supplier qualification, incoming inspection, purchase, and traceability documentation.

How do the torque and quick-assembly handles function?
The quick-assembly connection accepts a compatible tap, countersink, or screwdriver shaft through a mechanical coupling. The straight handle maintains the hand in line with the working shaft for axial control. The T-shaped model provides a wider lever arm for rotational input during tapping or instrument removal. The 0.8 Nm and 1.5 Nm handles limit tightening torque at their respective calibrated thresholds. Once the preset value is reached, the internal mechanism prevents unrestricted torque transfer through the compatible driver. The Instruments Set for Foot System torque handles require scheduled inspection and calibration under the manufacturer’s maintenance procedure.

How should a hospital inspect and sterilize this set?
Drill flutes, tap threads, countersinks, sleeves, driver recesses, and coupling interfaces should be cleaned before biological residue dries. Detachable shafts must be removed from the handles so concealed surfaces remain accessible. Reprocessing personnel should inspect cutting edges for dulling or chips and check gauges or guides for bending. Torque handles require functional assessment and documented calibration rather than immersion or processing outside their supplied instructions. After rinsing and complete drying, the Instruments Set for Foot System should be organized in its container and steam sterilized through the facility’s validated process. The sterile-processing count must account for all 32 components before release to the operating room.