The unilateral external fixator and acrylic connecting bar, combined with I.M pin, for the treatment of tibial fractures

A unilateral external skeletal fixator (ESF) system with an acrylic connecting bar, combined with an intramedullary (I.M) pin, was used to treat simple, comminuted and open fractures of the tibia in 12 clinical cases occurring in large and small dogs, and in cats. A minimal surgical approach was used in all cases. The I.M pin was placed first, in the normograde fashion, to align the tibial fragments. Transfixation pins were then inserted from the medial side, using previously published guidelines for safe corridors in the tibia, thus minimizing the potential for soft tissue trauma. An acrylic connecting bar was used in all of the cases, enabling connection of pins that were not in the same plane. All of the fractures healed uneventfully. This report shows that unilateral ESF with an acrylic connecting bar, combined with an I.M pin, is an effective method for the repair of a wide variety of tibial fractures.