Fixator Assisted Nailing and Plating

Angular and/or rotational deformities of the lower extremities resulting from various reasons can lead to pain, decreased function, and osteoarthritis eventually. If not corrected, deformities in the tibia or femur may make future joint reconstruction more difficult. Therefore, it is imperative to consider restoring the coronal, sagittal, and rotational alignment of the lower extremity. An external fixator has been widely used for the gradual correction of complex deformities. However, the long duration of wearing external fixators not only interferes with the patients’ daily lives but also results in complications such as pin tract infection and joint contractures. Although internal fixation avoids the problems associated with pin sites, it necessitates more extensive soft tissue dissection and increases the risk of bleeding or infection. The amount of correction is not adjustable without a secondary surgery, once the internal fixation is completed and the patient is recovered from anesthesia. Recently, improved techniques of fixator-assisted plating (FAP) and fixator-assisted nailing (FAN) are attractive solutions that can often replace the traditional fixation methods after corrective osteotomy. Since this approach combines the flexibility of external fixation without the inconvenience of long-term external fixation, these hybrid techniques can help achieve accurate correction as well as early recovery after surgery.