Orthopaedic splints

Claim 1

A process for using an orthopaedic splint in association with an external fixation device to set a fracture in a long bone of a limb: said splint including a plurality of self-contained compartments having walls which are flexible and impermeable, each said compartment containing fluent granular material and each having respective closable port means allowing evacuation and return of air from and to the associated compartment respectively to render the same solid and deformable, said compartments being connected serially with a common wall portion between each successive pair of compartments: said device including an elongate structure and a plurality of bone pins, said pins being connectable between respective locations successively extending along said structure and corresponding locations along said bone; and said process comprising: locating said splint, with said port means open, adjacent said limb with one said compartment alongside one end portion of said bone on one side of said fracture and the next succeeding said compartment alongside the other end portion of said bone on the other side of said fracture; wrapping said one compartment about said limb, evacuating the same and closing the respective port means to immobilize said bone one end portion; manipulating said bone other end portion to align the same with said bone one end portion; wrapping said next compartment about said limb, evacuating the same and closing the respective port means to immobilize said bone other end portion in its aligned state; connecting said device with said bone with some of said pins connected to locations in said bone one end portion and others of said pins connected to locations in said bone other end portions; and thereafter opening said port means and removing said splint to leave said bone retained with its end portions aligned by said device.