PURPOSE Circular external fixators have several advantages over other surgical options in the treatment of limb length discrepancy and axial deformity. The innovative Taylor Spatial Frame (TSF) combines a rigid hexapod fixation system with the support of a web-based software program, and thus offers the possibility of simultaneous corrections of multidirectional deformities. Whilst there is sti...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate, compare and identify the surgical technique with best results for treating intra-articular calcaneal fractures, taking into account postoperative outcomes, complications and scoring in the Aofas questionnaire. METHODS This was a retrospective study on 54 patients with fractures of the calcaneus who underwent surgery between 2002 and 2012 by means of the following techni...

UNLABELLED Pin tract inflammation and/or infection are common with the use of external fixation devices. Pin sites need to be managed to help prevent complications. There are a variety of regimens proposed for pin care in the literature. The authors present an efficient and simplified approach for addressing pin care protocol using cord locks with the use of compression sponges for external fix...

Sporulation vs. competence provides a prototypic example of collective cell fate determination. The decision is performed by the action of three modules: 1) A stochastic competence switch whose transition probability is regulated by population density, population stress and cell stress. 2) A sporulation timer whose clock rate is regulated by cell stress and population stress. 3) A decision gate...

We consider the rotational motion of an elongated nanoscale object in a fluid under an external torque. The experimentally observed dynamics could be understood from analytical solutions of the Stokes equation, with explicit formulae derived for the dynamical states as a function of the object dimensions and the parameters defining the external torque. Under certain conditions, multiple analyti...

A new control method is proposed for tension regulation in a web transport system. It is based on a unique active disturbance rejection control (ADRC) strategy, which actively compensates for dynamic changes in the system, and unpredictable external disturbances. A simulation of an industrial application is used to provide realism. The results show the effectiveness of the proposed tension cont...

We have compared the outcomes of the use of external fixation devices for spanning or sparing the ankle joint in the treatment of fractures of the tibial plafond, focusing on the complications and the rates of healing. We have devised a scoring system for the quality of reporting of clinical outcomes, to determine the reliability of the results. We conducted a search of publications in English ...

With a mean follow-up of four years, we assessed the outcomes of 11 refractures which occurred following paediatric femoral fractures treated by external fixation; the refractures were treated conservatively with simple immobilisation in a spica cast. A total number of 104 children with a femoral fracture were treated with external fixation between 1993 and 2000 in our institution. Refracture o...

INTRODUCTION External fixation of distal radius fractures may be static (wrist-bridging) or dynamic (wrist-bridging with mobile hinge or non-bridging). The aim of this systematic review is to investigate the effectiveness of different methods of external fixation for unstable distal radius fractures. METHODS A Medline database search was performed with strict eligibility criteria to obtain th...

The definition of neglected clubfoot (NC) includes a variable range of complex deformities of the foot that are refractory to conventional treatments or are treated inappropriately. Several etiologies may be related to this. The Ilizarov method has become established as a tool for treating these deformities. It minimizes soft-tissue damage through gradual correction of the deformity, with a hig...