Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 7, 2026
04:41
Treatment with Locking Intramedullary Nailing for Intertrochanteric Fracture of the Femur Utilizing a New Awl with a Distal Positioner
Published on: June 6, 2025
Fixator-Assisted Plating and Nailing for Multiplanar Lower Limb Deformities in Adolescents: Indications, Technical
Pilar Rovira Martí1, Ana Méndez Gil1, César Galo García Fontecha1
1Department of Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, Sant Joan de Déu Children's Hospital, Barcelona, Spain.
Clinics in Orthopedic Surgery
|August 6, 2026
Summary
Fixator-assisted locked plating (FALP) and fixator-assisted nailing (FAN) effectively correct severe adolescent lower limb deformities in three planes. These techniques ensure accurate alignment, reliable bone healing, and a quicker return to activities.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Pediatric Orthopedics
- Biomechanical Engineering
Background:
- Adolescent lower limb deformities, especially severe multiplanar ones, risk early joint degeneration and functional issues.
- Corrective osteotomy is vital when growth modulation is no longer an option.
- Fixator-assisted techniques offer precise correction for complex deformities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of fixator-assisted locked plating (FALP) and fixator-assisted nailing (FAN) for correcting complex adolescent femoral and tibial deformities.
- To assess the accuracy of 3D deformity correction across frontal, sagittal, and torsional planes.
- To compare outcomes between FALP and FAN techniques.
Main Methods:
- A prospective study included 27 adolescents (31 surgeries) using FALP or FAN between 2021-2024.
- Patients were grouped by surgical site and technique (distal femur FALP, tibia FALP, or FAN).
- Data collected: demographics, surgical details, pre/post-op measurements, weight-bearing time, bone healing, return to activity, and complications. Mean follow-up: 20.9 months.
Main Results:
- All cases achieved radiographic union (mean consolidation: 4 months).
- Significant corrections in mechanical axis deviation (valgus/varus), torsion, and sagittal alignment were observed.
- Fixator-assisted nailing (FAN) allowed significantly earlier weight-bearing (mean 5.8 days); no major complications or secondary deformities occurred.
Conclusions:
- FALP and FAN are safe and effective for acute correction of severe multiplanar adolescent lower limb deformities.
- These techniques provide precise 3D correction, reliable bone healing, and facilitate an early return to activities.
- They offer a valuable alternative to gradual correction methods for select adolescent cases.
