Abstract
External fixation devices for long bone fracture reduction are extensively used. Most of them are implemented by a trial and error process which alternates radiographs and fixation device adjustments in order to achieve a final correct positioning of the two bone segments. Fixation devices with less than six degrees of freedom are frequently used which can provide only an approximated segment positioning. This paper presents two new fixation device architectures having six degrees of freedom. They can be automatically actuated during the fracture reduction process under the surgeon's control. They perform a straight, not iterative, final correct positioning based only on a few radiographs. Finally, some suggestions on the actual workspace determination of the fixation devices have been reported together with some design considerations.
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Di Gregorio, R., Parenti-Castelli, V. Fixation Devices for Long Bone Fracture Reduction: An Overview and New Suggestions. Journal of Intelligent and Robotic Systems 34, 265–278 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016307502887
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016307502887