What is an external fixator?

• A. A cast applied to immobilize a limb
• B. A metal device with pins into bone connected to an external rod to stabilize a fracture
• C. A surgically implanted rod inside the bone
• D. A soft brace worn outside the limb

Answer: (B)

An external fixator is a metal frame placed outside the body that stabilizes a fracture by inserting pins or wires through the skin into the bone, with those implants connected to external rods. This setup holds the bone fragments in proper alignment while allowing access to soft tissues and wounds, and it can be adjusted as healing progresses. It’s different from a cast, which immobilizes without any hardware crossing the fracture; it’s different from an implanted rod inside the bone (internal fixation), which uses hardware inside the bone rather than outside; and it’s different from a soft brace, which doesn’t penetrate to the bone and doesn’t provide the same rigid stabilization.