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.