The Influence of Mallet Mass and Velocity on the Fracture Patterns in Osteotomies

Introduction Osteotomies are routinely incorporated in rhinoplasty, however, the influence of mass, velocity, kinetic energy (KE), and momentum (p) of the mallet on fracture patterns has not been studied. Methods An experimental sledge guillotine setup was designed simulating a mallet strike with adjustable height and mass and 2 mm‐thick Sawbone blocks. KE and p were calculated using KE = ½ mass × velocity2 and p = mass × velocity formulas. Fracture lengths and angles were measured. Results Ten groups with varying mallet masses and drop heights were tested with 10 bones per group. Fracture length positively correlated with KE (R = 0.542, p