Determining When It Is Safe to Remove the External Fixator: Results From a Survey of the Limb Lengthening and Reconstruction Society

Thousands of external fixators are used for deformity correction and distraction osteogenesis each year. At some point, each of these frames must be removed. Determining when it is safe to remove an external fixator is not always easy. Multiple variables, such as the patient's medical comorbidities, the construct stability, and the underlying etiology, can affect the quality of the regenerate bone formation. The ultimate decision to remove an external fixator is generally based on the findings from clinical examination and plain radiographs. One commonly used radiographic guideline is the
Source: Journal of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus - Category: Opthalmology Authors: Source Type: research