Pins and Rubbers Traction System

Abstract

The Pins and Rubbers Traction System (PRTS) is a mobile frame created with wires to support elastic traction, which produces a ligamentotaxis effect in the same direction and of the same intensity whatever the position of the joint. This technique has been used in 11 cases of complex PIP joint fractures with eight excellent results. The advantages are simplicity, adaptability, the possibility of immediate mobilization, reasonable cost and relatively small bulk.

Treatment of Proximal Interphalangeal Dorsal Fracture-Dislocation Injuries With Dynamic External Fixation: A Pins and Rubber Band System

“…The authors in several studies note that joint "remodeling" occurred, without defining this parameter. 23, 33 Syed et al found arthritis in only 1 of 9 cases, but noted that joint depression occurred in all remaining patients. 32 A strict definition was used in the current study to define arthritis and includes what other groups may have considered central depression or simply joint remodeling.…”

“…All systems use pins or wires placed through the center of rotation of the proximal phalangeal head and through various sites in the middle phalanx that allow for motion of the PIP joint with the fixator in place. Forces can then be applied through the pins and across the joint with rubber bands 23,24,31,33 or springs and pulleys. 25,29,34,35 All dynamic external fixators share fundamental properties.…”

“…The fixator developed by de Soras et al differs in that a dorsal bend is placed in the proximal wire, which leads to distractive forces out of line with the PIP joint. 33 These authors also sometimes substituted a dorsal-based, U-shaped splint for the middle pin. Finally, the fixators described by de Smet et al 39 and Suzuki et al 31 are similar to the one used in the current study in that they use the additional translation pin and use rubber traction in line with the PIP joint.…”

“…2 wires, bands 86 3 7/16 Badia 38 2 wires 84 6 Not reported Deshmukh 23 2 wires, bands 84 5 1/14 remodeling Agee 18 3 wires, bands 83 3 (acute) 7 weeks (chronic) 3/9 arthritis (acute) 4/7 arthritis (chronic) De Smet 39 3 wires, bands 82 6 0/8 Gaul 27 2 wires 81 3 Not reported Suzuki 31 2-3 wires, bands 80 10 Not reported Hynes 28 2 wires 76 10 Not reported Syed 32 2 wires 71 6 1/9 arthritis 8/9 joint depression de Soras 33 3 wires, bands 84% opposite Not reported 3/11 remodeling ROM, range of motion (average total) in degrees or percent opposite side. Delay to surgery defined as time of injury to placement of external fixator (days).…”

The S-Quattro in the Management of Acute Intraarticular Phalangeal Fractures of the Hand

“…Several techniques of distraction have been described with variable results. These include external fixation devices (Allison, 1996;Hynes and Giddins, 2001) using a force couple splint (Agee, 1987;Buchanan, 1994), dynamic longitudinal traction (Dennys et al, 1992;Morgan et al, 1995;Schenck, 1986), compass hinges (Bain et al, 1998;Krakauer and Stern, 1996), pins and rubber traction systems (DeSoras et al, 1997;Majumder et al, 2003;Suzuki et al, 1994) and dynamic springs (Blazar and Steinberg, 2000;Inanami et al, 1993;Johnson et al, 2004). All existing techniques have their advantages and disadvantages.…”