Centre for Biomedical Innovation, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka; Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka.
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka.
Med Eng Phys. 2021 Dec;98:91-103. doi: 10.1016/j.medengphy.2021.11.002. Epub 2021 Nov 4.
External Fixators are a common technique used to treat a variety of issues related to bones, predominantly due to its non-intrusive nature and versatility in terms of form and materials. While it is mainly used to treat open fractures, its other uses include limb lengthening, deformity correction, bone grafting, compression of non-unions and stabilization of dislocations. Its earliest use dates as far back as 400 BCE and has undergone significant improvements, focusing on both customization and optimization. These two aspects highlight the significance of complementing the orthopaedic requirements with engineering knowledge and its applications. Hence, this review paper aims to conduct an examination of recent developments of external fixators with a special focus on its structure, the usage of materials and biomechanical investigations using experimental and numerical techniques. The paper presents the existing level of engineering knowledge with regards to these aspects and identifies research gaps, which can improve the quality of the commonly used external fixators.
外固定器是一种常用于治疗与骨骼相关的多种问题的常见技术，主要归因于其非侵入性、形式和材料方面的多功能性。虽然它主要用于治疗开放性骨折，但它的其他用途还包括肢体延长、畸形矫正、植骨、非愈合性骨折的加压和脱位的稳定。它的最早使用可以追溯到公元前 400 年，并且已经经历了重大改进，重点是定制化和优化。这两个方面强调了将工程知识及其应用与骨科需求相结合的重要性。因此，本文旨在对外部固定器的最新发展进行审查，特别关注其结构、材料的使用以及使用实验和数值技术的生物力学研究。本文介绍了在这些方面现有的工程知识水平，并确定了研究差距，这可以提高常用外固定器的质量。
