AO ASIF MINI-EXTERNAL FIXATOR FOR FRACTUR ES OF THE HAND - OPERATIVE TECHNIQUE AND INITIAL EXPERIENCE/

Fractures of the hand and fingers showing comminution or associated so ft-tissue lesions are best treated with external fixation. In contrast to other systems, the new AO mini-external fixator enables less bulky unilateral fixation facilitating early mobilisation and the special d esign of the double clamps allows preliminary intraoperative stabilisa tion with only one wire in each fragment. Modular fixation makes free placement of the wires possible with accommodation of bone and soft ti ssue lesions. Twenty patients with hand injuries showed uneventful sof t tissue healing and there were no cases of non-union in 19 metacarpal and phalangeal fractures.