Patent ID: 7758582

Claim:
In an external fixation system including at least two fixation components, at least one bar, and at least two fixation elements inserted into a patient's bone and coupled to the at least one bar by the at least two fixation components, a method of placing an additional fixation element of the external fixation system into the patient's bone comprising: placing a drill guide onto the bar, the drill guide comprising: a collar frame with a collar adapted to receive the bar such that the collar may be moved linearly, rotationally, or both about the bar; a guide frame including a bore through which the additional fixation element may be inserted, the guide frame coupled to the collar frame such that the guide frame and the collar frame may rotate about at least one axis relative to each other; moving the drill guide to a desired position for insertion of the additional fixation element into the bone; inserting the additional fixation element through the bore and into the bone; removing the drill guide from the bar; and coupling the additional fixation element to the bar with an additional fixation component.