[Principles of deformity correction using the Taylor Spatial Frame].

Abstract

Developed in the fifties, the Ilizarov ring external fixator was first introduced to the West in the eighties of the twentieth century. The technique has become widely accepted for the treatment of a wide variety of limb pathologies including complex fractures, deformity correction and limb lengthening. The Taylor Spatial Frame (TSF) was developed by Charles Taylor in the mid nineties. This system is basically a ring external fixator, drawing on the theoretic foundation from the theory of projected geometry and the mechanical bases from the Stewart platforms. This combination provides a stable external fixation device with an outstanding ability for manipulation of the bone fragments in any given direction, and correction of the most complex deformities. Following the application of the frame, internet-based software will provide an instant treatment plane for the correction of the deformity. This will then be carried out by the patient himself until the achievement of an anatomical reduction of the fracture, lengthening or deformity correction. This combination of a stable external fixation device and the accuracy of the computer based technology, makes the TSF the treatment of choice in the precise correction of limb deformities. This review presents an overview of the theoretical foundation and methods of using the TSF, with an emphasis on the advantages of this system and the capabilities in the correction of skeletal deformities.