title: The role of external fixators in paediatric trauma.
abstract: We report a retrospective review of all paediatric trauma patients managed with an external fixator admitted to our institution over a 7-year period. We identified 30 fractures in 28 children. The fractures included 20 tibiae, 5 femurs, 2 humerii, 2 radii and 1 phalanx. The indications were 23 open fractures, 4 comminuted fractures and 3 closed fractures in poly-traumatised patients. It was the definitive treatment in 13 fractures. The mean length of total time with an external fixator was 9.6 weeks (range 1-38 weeks.) Difficulties encountered were eight problems, one obstacle and two true complications. There were no cases of re-fracture following removal of the external fixator. This review confirms that there is a role for the use of external fixation in selected paediatric fractures with a low complication rate.
authors.forename: Joel A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Humphrey
authors.forename: Syed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gillani
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Barry
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016267:External Fixators; D005260:Female; D005592:Fracture Fixation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005596:Fractures, Closed / Q000601:surgery*; D018460:Fractures, Comminuted / Q000601:surgery*; D005597:Fractures, Open / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000601:surgery*