The New Ilizarov Picture Gallery Page 1

This is the first page of the updated website gallery circa January 2006 and includes photographs submitted before and up to that date. My thanks to all who provided these pictures

These photographs of an upper arm fixator were kindly provided by Shona who also, very kindly has offered her e-mail address to anyone who wishes to contact her to ask about living with an arm frame.

You can email Shona by clicking HERE

Shona's story in brief from her e-mail to me

I was involved in a head on collision with a stolen car in March 2003. Both arms and legs were badly broken. I had several operations and a combination of metal plates and rods put in to help the bones heal. However, the bone in my left humerus refused to heal even with the aid of a metal rod, I think it was a very bad spiral fracture.
I had the frame fitted in in June 2005 and had it on for three and a half months. I am back to the hospital on Tuesday to have an x-ray to see if it has healed correctly.

 

And as if by magic, another arm frame! This time sported by Jim in Ohio.

Jim wrote

I noticed that you had few pictures of arm applications. This was a result of an auto accident, compound broken arm at elbow, allowed elbow to bend. This was done in Dayton, Ohio.

 

I'm not sure but I think this is Marv. Jane, his sister didn't include that bit of info. She wrote;

Hi my name is Jane, i'm sending you photos of my brother for your rogues gallery. I have searched to find someone else with the full frame on one leg and a frame on the lower leg, so I can give him some info etc.He is an inspiration as many ilizarov wearers are. He had his car accident 6 weeks ago were his femur broke in 2 places and tried to escape through his leg whilst smashing fibs and tibs. The surgeon said it looked like he had tried to rip his legs off. Anyway he is a very motivated, self disciplined guy who is keen to help others with his new experience. Today he walked down a stair and 20 yards to the gate outside and back to his bed using his crutches. He only had his zimmer frame for a short while as he said it didnt suit his image. Unbelievable to say 6 weeks ago he was told there was a good chance he would lose a leg. I have encouraged him to keep a diary which he is and i'm getting him a website up and running. It would be fab to hear from you or anyone else to help keep his pecker up as i'm sure you understand he has his dark moments.

This is Jez from the UK. His sister gave me the low-down.

Jez aquired the frame following the dropping of his Ducati 916 back in May 2005. Only he was involved in the incident and apart from the bike and the road he only met with a hedge and a field so thankfully there were no other injuries. The frame is to be removed on the 26th January as the bones seem well healed and he can manage without a crutch. His surgeon, Mr Branfoot of Leeds, did loosen the nuts on the frame last thursday and on the day this felt good for Jez as he got that ' walking' feeling back but the following day Jez had to re-tighten them as the pin movement was causing too much pain.

 

These show Eric's frame.
His story is below.

 

 

I emailed you about a week ago. Thanks for replying back. I like your web site, it has been helpful. A lot that I have read it is what I'm going through, except the bone growth (length) and the foot clinic. So far my frame has to be on 12 months for now subject to change though. So far it has been 6 months and before i had another fixator on for about 4 months and a boot cast for a month or so..This october 23-05 will be a year. When the doctor put the Ilizarov frame on march 24-05 he had to take out 2 inches of dead bone and clean out my ankle socket becaused it was destroyed and put in grafting op1. Since then i had a pin site infected.It was one of the bigger ones that was screwed in the back side of my heel. Since i was going under to remove the pin and put it on the other side of the heel, I was also having another round of op1 but in surgery the doctor had to use 2 tubes of op1. A bad deformity between where the shin bone meets the ankle. That's where the 2 inches of dead bone had to come out. While in surgery the doctor discovered that i have a bone infection, now i'm waiting on medicine which has been a week now "insurance companies aren't they great"

 I had this surgery on september 1-05. Hospital care not too good. Ring for the nurse and they would not get there for about 30 minutes or so by then the pain seemed to take over. I too have pets, 1 dog a rottweiler. I was nervous that he would run into me and a small cat.The doctors were concerned with pet dandruff getting in the pin sites.The doctor has prescribed a bone stimulator "smith and nephew".When i first met this doctor, he had given me 3 choices this fixator, a stainless steal rod through the heel which he said they don't make one long enough for this reason ,no plates or screws nothing to attach them to, or the fatal blow amputation. I'm at a 50/50 if this frame works and if it does the leg would be of limited use. Another problem I have is if I stand up, it takes about 10-15 seconds and my foot will start to turn purple. The blood goes to the foot but can not return back up the leg. So i can tolerate it for awhile then have to lay down and elevate the foot above the heart. I have very little movement in the big toe,and have developed claw toe. So maybe march of 06 I might have the frame removed.And for the ankle it will be fused.
I want to thank you for showing me your web site. Its nice to hear from somebody that understands what you are going through, even though family and friends care they just don't know what you are going through.I would like to add some pics if you don't mind? thanks again Eric.

Colin sent in a shed load of pictures so click on the picture to the right to go to a page of the rest of them. Colin wrote me this with his pics.

Hi slim I have just had this put on after a wait of nearly 5 months of infection which the bone got after the bone transplant. These are pics all way through up till now the first pics are the first fixator which I had on for 7 weeks then the operation to have the break plated and pinned.That's when I caught the infection. Then the long wait on loads of antibiotics then the 5 month wait to have this ilizarov from just under the knee. There's 4 circular frames down to what they call a foot plate and 24 pin sites. My accident happened on the 26 June. Everything takes time to mend but as you get older it takes a bit more time but we will keep banging away at getting better. Your new ilizarov friend Colin Johnson .

PS: Anybody who is close to Brixham Devon give me a email and we could probably talk and meet.yours colin. Mail me here

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