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The role of external fixation in traumaAcademic Unit of Orthopaedic and Traumatic Surgery, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK, rjpcdoc{at}aol.com
Academic Unit of Orthopaedic and Traumatic Surgery, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK External fixation is a method of immobilization that uses percutaneous pins placed in bone and linked with external connectors to maintain the fracture segments in a desired spatial relationship. It is a valuable clinical treatment option, providing surgeons with the ability to affect the spatial relationship of tissues, both statically and dynamically, via minimally invasive techniques. The ease and speed of application, adjustability of the frame, and minimization of blood loss with preservation of blood supply at the cutaneous and osseous levels are advantages of the external fixation technique. Care of the trauma patient remains one of the major applications for external fixation. Open fractures with severe soft tissue injuries and/or massive contamination are ideally suited to this technique. External fixation is also a versatile salvage technique for the complications arising from extremity trauma. The management of residual fracture deformity, bone loss, infections, and complex post-traumatic arthritis are often facilitated by external fixation.
Key Words: external fixation • fracture fixation • fractures • trauma
Trauma, Vol. 6, No. 2,
143-160 (2004) |
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