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- Discussion:
    - semitubular Plates are designed in the shape of half tube;
    - they are only 1 mm thick and have low rigidity;
    - plate is used only in areas where they are subject to tensile forces;
    - oval plate holes allow some axial compression if the 4.5 mm cortex screws are inserted eccentrically on each side of the fracture;
    - slight disadvantage of this plate, is the deep penentration of unthreaded neck of screw into the cortex, which entails some risk of cortical 
         splitting;
    - enlarging the cortex to 4.5 mm would prevent such splitting;
    - in the past semitubular Plates found application in forearm fractures;
    - today it may occassionally be used as tension band plate in open book pelvic injuries and as a second plate in comminuted frx in the
         metaphysis of long bones;
    - semitubular plates are available with 2-12 holes;
    - thickness 1 mm;
    - width 11 mm
    - hole spacing 16 and 26 mm;
    - 3.2 mm drill bit is used for 4.5 mm cortical screws