External Fixation – What Do You Need to Know About

The most common surgery that orthopedic specialists perform to treat fractures and other orthopedic injuries is open reduction and internal fixation. However, sometimes the fracture is severe enough that ORIF is not feasible right away. In such cases, the surgeon recommends external fixation.

In this post, we will see external fixation in detail along with its procedure. Let us start with its brief introduction.

What is External Fixation?

External fixation is a surgical technique that orthopedic specialists perform to treat severe fractures. This surgery involves the use of K-wires and pins that surgeons insert and fix into the bones. These implants are then attached to an external apparatus which comprises metal rings, threaded rods, and screws. This system of external fixators is also called the Ilizarov apparatus. The external fixator system holds the broken bone fragments in the correct anatomy from the inside and facilitates healing. This surgical technique stabilizes bone and soft tissues without making many contacts with the site of injury.

External fixation is often a temporary option for the treatment of fractures for which internal fixation is not feasible right away. Orthopedic surgeons often choose this surgical technique when the patient is suffering from severe injuries and there are other life-threatening injuries that need treatment at first. To perform internal fixation, the overall condition of the patient must be stable. So, in cases where the patient is not stable, external fixation serves as the first line of fracture treatment.

What is the Process of External Fixation?

During external fixation, the orthopedic surgeon realigns the broken bone and drills holes through the skin into the bone before applying bone screws, wires, and pins. These implants are then affixed to the external hardware system to keep the bones in alignment. The advantage of using an external fixation system is that it provides the ease of adjusting bone alignment from outside to ensure proper healing. For this, the healthcare service provider may perform a periodic examination of the fracture site and adjust as required.

However, while making the incisions for the application of an external fixator, the orthopedic specialist needs to take special care. This is because the risk of infection is there. Thus, the patient must also keep surgical wounds clean to minimize the chances of infection. To look for the signs of infection like redness, itching, and inflammation, the healthcare service provider will keep monitoring the incisions.

External fixation is carried out under general anesthesia to keep the patient unconscious during the procedure. During the surgery, the surgeon needs special orthopedic instruments to properly fix the external frame.  Read More.