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: