Patent ID: 7479142

Claim:
A method of repairing a fractured joint adjacent a long bone, comprising: performing a fixation surgery comprising: placing a plurality of long bone pins of an external fixator assembly transversely into a long bone proximally of the fracture, the external fixator assembly comprising: a support structure extending generally parallel to the long bone and perpendicular to the long bone pins, the support structure having a proximal section which releasably holds the plurality of long bone pins, the support structure having a mid-section and a distal section; an outrigger extending generally transversely from the mid-section of the support structure, the outrigger having at least one fragment pin releasably attachable thereto; and a plurality of distal bone pins releasably held by the distal section of the support structure; securing the long bone pins relative to the support structure, thereby fixing the support structure relative to the long bone; placing the plurality of distal bone pins transversely into a distal bone; securing the distal bone pins relative to the support structure, such that the external fixator assembly fixes the distal bone relative to the long bone; placing the fragment pin into a radial bone fragment; and securing the fragment pin relative to the outrigger; after an initial healing duration, performing a joint-release surgery, comprising: removing the distal bone pins from the distal bone, thereby permitting at least a limited degree of joint flexation; and after a secondary healing duration, performing an external fixator removal surgery, comprising: removing the long bone pins from the long bone; and removing the fragment pin from the healed fragment.