The SECUROS External Fixator System
Frequently Asked Questions

A Microsoft Word version of this FAQ may be downloaded by clicking here (54k filesize)

The SECUROS External Skeletal Fixation System was developed to simplify the application of fixators and reduce complications. It has been proven in published clinical trials to decrease surgical times, speed healing times, and dramatically reduce pin loosening (JAVMA vol. 212: 1267-1270, 1998).

1. What is so different about the SECUROS clamp, it looks just like an open type of K-E clamp?

The SECUROS clamp can be snapped onto a connecting rod, therefore added on or taken off when and however you wish. The K-E clamp had to be slid on the connecting rod, so adding one between two installed clamps was impossible. The SECUROS clamp works completely different than a K-E clamp. A K-E clamp squeezes the connecting rod when tightened. This results in the clamp deforming making it difficult or impossible to reuse. The SECUROS clamp works by drawing the "head" into the "U" parts causing an interference between the "Head" and connecting rod, like a spot weld. This mechanism of action is not only more secure than the K-E clamp (Vet Surg vol. 27: 224-230, 1998), the "U" part does not deform and acts like a lock washer keeping the clamp tight on the fixation pin throughout healing. This also makes it indefinitely reusable. The unique features of this clamp were awarded United States Patent # 5,976,133.

2. Can I use my old K-E clamps, connecting rods, wrenches, etc?

YES! This was basic to the design. We felt that asking practitioners to throw away their entire inventory and buy a completely different size system was not responsible. We have the highest stiffness, easiest application, and published results with a system that cost the same as the K-E system and works with it. You can use the SECUROS clamps just like the K-E clamps if you like, with the obvious advantage of snapping them on. Many surgeons use the K-E clamps as the most proximal and distal clamps and adding SECUROS clamps in-between, slowly transitioning over to all SECUROS clamps as their inventory runs out.

3. What is that aiming device and why do I need it?

If you choose not to use the drill sleeve and aiming devise, you don't have to. However, this tool makes it simple to pre-drill pin holes, to use full pins and to use positive profile threaded pins. This dramatically speeds surgery and improves your technique. Pre-drilling pin holes, using full pins and positive profile treaded pins has been shown time and time again to be the best way to apply external fixators. We don't just claim this, it has been shown to be true both experimentally and in clinical trials. Most clinical reports on external fixators report pin loosening rates from 50-100%. Our published loosening rate is less than 10%. Though the aiming tool looks different, it is quite easy to use. Even novices become comfortable with using it in minutes.

4. What about stiffness? Other companies claim that their stiffness is the best.

NO! Other companies have manipulated data and made unfair comparisons. They compare a connecting bar that is twice as large to the SECUROS unilateral fixator without the augmentation plate. The SECUROS unilateral system with the augmentation bars is as stiff as any unilateral system that uses 1/8th inch pins. The SECUROS bilateral system cannot be beat, and is bar none the winner. A six pin bilateral SECUROS fixator has a stiffness of 800-900 Newtons per millimeter. To put this into perspective, that is more than enough for a 150 pound dog.

5. I've heard that full pins cause too many problems and should not be used, but the SECUROS system is a bilateral system.

The SECUROS system can be used in any of the described configurations including unilateral (type I), biplanar (type Ib), bilateral (type II), and three-dimensional (type III). The SECUROS system can be used in biplanar (type Ib) but the disadvantages include twice as many pins and clamps (and holes in bone), less stiffness, and pins that interfere with flexor and extensor tendons. We don't specifically advocate any configuration, but many surgeons use biplanar (type II) configurations with our system because they are very simple to apply, they are relatively inexpensive, and numerous publications confirm their mechanical superiority and clinical efficacy with zero complications.

6. Using the augmentation bars in unilateral fixators appears to be an added step. Why do you have them?

Two reasons. The first is that the connecting bar was a weak link in the K-E system because of its relatively small size. The larger K-E system with carbon fiber rods was always available, but surgeons did not use it for small animals because it was expensive, heavy and cumbersome. Using the augmentation bars was a simple and effective way to increase unilateral stiffness with the standard size fixator. Adding an augmentation bar takes only minutes and costs very little. A presentation on this system received a prestigious award at the American College of Veterinary Surgeon's meeting in 1999. The most important reason for having these bars is that they can be easily removed. Read on.

7. I heard that more stiffness is not always the best, that a fracture should be "dynamized?"

You are absolutely correct. A fixator that is too stiff will actually slow bone healing. The SECUROS external fixator system is the only system available to veterinarians that allows simple changing of stiffness. Early in healing the fracture should be immobilized completely. But later on, the healing fracture should be allowed to share loads. Historically surgeons would remove pins or disassemble parts of fixators under anesthesia to do this. With SECUROS unilateral configurations the augmentation bar is removed. With bilateral configurations the bolts of the distal clamps are replaced with special dynamization bolts. This increases axial loads and still supports the fracture. You can dynamize the fracture as an office visit without sedation, anesthesia, removing pins, or going into the operating room.

8. What is special about the SECUROS external fixator pins?

The SECUROS external fixator pins are a vast improvement over previous pins in both human and veterinary medicine. Using advanced metallurgic techniques, our pins have far greater stiffness than any other. Just try bending our pins and compare. The design of our pins is such that they "press-fit" into bone the right amount. You will notice that screwing them into bone take quite a lot of torque. This occurs within the magical 2% tolerance of bone deformation, so it occurs without microfractures. This is one of the reasons why our pin loosening rate is so low.

Setting Standards in Veterinary Orthopedics