Commonly Asked Questions About External Fixators

 External fixation has been used to treat fractures for over 2000 years now. Hippocrates was the first to describe the method as a way to immobilize fractures without compromising the soft tissue. Fixator design and biomechanics have evolved dramatically over the years, but the fundamentals have not. There are many who still don’t know much about external fixators. Here are some of the commonly asked questions that we have addressed in this blog. Read on.

What Are External Fixators?

 An external fixator serves as a stabilizing frame used to maintain the appropriate alignment of shattered bones. Metal pins or screws are inserted into the bone through minuscule incisions made in the skin and muscle. The bar(s) outside the skin (majority of the component) is where the pins and screws are fastened through clamps. External fixators are different from casts and splints, which only provide external support. External fixators have both external and internal support as the pins are placed into the bone.

How Are External Fixators Applied?

The procedure for external fixing roughly includes the following steps:

Drilling

By using a driller, the surgeon creates several holes around the damaged and fractured area to access the broken bone directly.

Inserting Wires

This stage involves screwing wires or nuts into the drilled holes.

Putting the Rod in Place

A rod or curved piece of metallic material is set up by the surgeon outside the body.

Joint Adjustment

The fracture can be positioned in the proper natural position by adjusting the spherical joints. In order to prevent infection at the surgery site, meticulous cleaning is done because the screws enter the skin.

What are the Indications for External Fixators?

Fracture fixation:

1. Comminuted periarticular fractures

2. Fractures in patients who are hemodynamically compromised

3. Fractures with significant soft tissue edema

4. Fractures with significant bone loss

5. Open fractures with Soft tissue loss

Treatment of

1. Unstable pelvic injuries

2. Deformities

3. Arthrodesis

4. Osteomyelitis

5. Nonunion \Infection

6. Immobilized joints after a soft tissue graft

Limb lengthening

What are the Types of External Fixators?

The three types of external fixation that surgeons most frequently employ:

 Ring fixer - Ring fixators encircle the fracture/treatment area usually featuring two or more rings connected with wires, struts, and pins. Circular fixators have gained popularity in limb-lengthening procedures. They are particularly effective at allowing the patient to bear weight and maintain some joint motion during treatment.

 Multiplanar fixation: It utilizes pins and bars along more than one plane. Includes bilateral and unilateral multiplanar as sub-types.

 Uniplanar fixation works on a single plane. These devices are quick and simple to use, but they are not as strong as multiplanar fixation devices. These too have unilateral and bilateral sub-types.

 Apart from these primary types, there are many other types of external fixators including the synthes adjustable tibial exfix, Hoffman II and the modular fixator. Modular fixators allow free pin placement giving surgeons to hold the reduction and reduce the fracture by manipulation.

Apart from these primary types, there are many other types of external fixators including the synthes adjustable tibial exfix, Hoffman II and the modular fixator. Modular fixators allow free pin placement giving surgeons to hold the reduction and reduce the fracture by manipulation.

Conclusion

The structure and mechanics of fixators have evolved significantly over time. The main goal of this procedure is to keep the fracture's length, parallelism, and rotation intact. It is critical for trauma surgeons to use high-quality, durable and precise external fixators when treating upper limb, lower limb, and pelvic fractures or for any other treatment. If you are looking to buy superior quality external fixators, contact a leading medical device supplier that manufactures high-end external fixators as per global standards to ensure proper comfort to patients.

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