A CHEAP, DISPOSABLE EXTERNAL FIXATOR FOR COMMINUTED PHALANGEAL FRACTURES

Reduction of a severely comminuted fracture of a long bone in the hand can be difficult to hold, An external fixator can be the best method of maintaining satisfactory reduction in such fractures. A small, disp osable external fixator is described, made from a syringe barrel and K -wires. It allows accurate reduction with minimal soft tissue trauma a nd is easy to construct and apply. It allows early mobilization of the digit and is inexpensive.