A Concise Guide to Understanding Limb External Fixators

Post-surgical bone management is never easy for patients. Given the level and the nature of surgery, bone fragment surgeries can take up to 8 weeks to heal. This requires several factors to be considered such as the affected organ/tissue should be protected from mechanical impacts and shouldn’t be put under stress while performing regular activities such as walking, lifting objects, and changing clothes. This is where external fixators prove to be an effective orthopedic solution by helping patients with safeguarding their limbs while the bones grow and heal. Continue reading as we present a concise guide to understanding limb external fixators.

External limb fixators are a type of orthopedic fixation devices articulated on long bones such as arms, legs, and feet. Attached by threaded pins or wires that pierce through skin and tissues, the majority portion of these implants remain outside of the body, hence the name. External limb fixators are used for multiple reasons such as:

Working Mechanism

External limb fixators operate on the principle of “gradual adjustment of pressure to allow bone regeneration”. This begins within 5 to 7 days after the surgery to allow bones to rest before they are ready for adjustments in fixators through the following phases:

Distraction Phase

In this phase, the patient or their family members, based on a schedule prescribed by the doctor, are advised to adjust the knob or other parts of the device to gradually pull apart the bone segments, leaving a void of 1 mm per day. This void is filled by newly regenerated bone tissue. This process continues till the bone has been corrected or straightened.

Consolidation Phase

After the distraction phase, the soft bone tissue is allowed to ossify through mineral deposition. At this point, the external limb fixators provide additional support to keep the healing or “consolidating” bone at its place and minimize the risk of bone deformities.

Types of External Limb Fixators

External limb fixators come in various designs and structures depending on the bone, however, the following two are widely used designs:

Circular

Consisting of two or more circular components, circular (external) limb fixators can completely or partially surround the limb. This type of structure helps in distributing torsional and mechanical pressure to help bone to heal without the risk of deformities.

Monolateral

Monolateral (external) limb fixators consist of a straight bar, which is attached by placing on the side of the bone. They are connected with multiple screws, coated in hydroxyapatite, to strengthen the grip with the bone and prevent the risk of slipping/detaching.

External limb fixators conform around/according to the bone shape and size, which is why they are widely used for fracture management. When it comes to buying external limb fixators, it is vital to check the composition of the device components, the material and coating provided, and the warranty/return policy.

If you are looking to buy modular fixators for upper and lower limbs, contact a trusted supplier of medical devices that provides a complete range of orthopedic implants made in compliance with global manufacturing standards.

External limb fixators