Fracture fixation can be realized internally or externally, with both methods aiming to stabilize the injury, enable fast healing and allow the patient to return to full function as early as possible. External fixation is indicated primarily for temporary fracture fixation after trauma, but is also used for deformity correction, limb lengthening, defect treatment, and other cases in which minimal soft tissue damage is desired. A major benefit of external fixation is the ability to stabilize a fracture without the need for open reduction or invasive surgery at the fracture site, which are often undesirable in trauma scenarios.
As compared to internal fixation methods, external fixation allows for the avoidance of infected areas, minimization of soft tissue damage, and flexibility in choosing points to place wires and half-pins. External fixation constructs are also adjustable postoperatively, which is especially beneficial for indications such as limb lengthening and deformity correction.
External fixation of the lower leg is a surgical procedure that uses rods or plates to immobilise and fix a bone following a fracture to allow the bone to heal in its correct position.
An external fixator is a stabilizing frame to hold the broken bones in proper position. In an external fixator, metal pins or screws are placed into the bone through small incisions into the skin and muscle. The pins and screws are attached to a bar outside the skin.
Sometimes day to day activities can seem more challenging when you have an external fixator. Here are some practical tips that might help to make some of these tasks seem a little bit easier.