The past 25 years have seen a progressive improvement in external fixation techniques in terms of patient acceptability, ease of appli- cation and apparatus stability. The recent awareness in Europe of the method, application and excellent results of the technique pio- neered by G. A. I1izarov has caused a rapid increase here in the number of surgeons who have become banderilleros. In particu- lar, external fixators can be used in the treatment of difficult clini- cal conditions, such as severe fractures and their sequelae, as well as for the correction of congenital deformities of the...