Abstract: A foot and ankle supporting and orienting extension for an external fixation unit with pins driven into the tibia of a patient has a coupling member which can be separably connected to a pin holder of a fixation unit, a variable-length carrier one end of which is articulately connected to the coupling member by a first universal joint and the other end of which is articulately connected to one end of a variabele-length link by a second universal joint, and a cushioned sole-contacting brace which is articulately connected to the other end of the link by a third universal spherical joint. By properly selecting the mutual inclination of the coupling member, carrier, link and brace relative to each other and/or by properly selecting the length of the carrier and/or the link, the patient or another authorized person can move the cushion of the brace to an optimum position relative to the sole of a foot forming part of a leg wherein the tibia is pinned to a fixation unit.

Abstract: A device for promoting the healing of bones has a pair of elongated carriers which support screws to be anchored in bone structure. The screws are movable longitudinally of the carriers by means of spindles. The carriers are joined to one another by a connector consisting of a rigid rod having a ball at either end. The balls are received in part-spherical sockets formed in the respective carriers and can be fixed relative to the carriers via screws.

Abstract: Surgical instrument for aiming and hole-forming purposes for use for example in the implantation of locking nails or the like in bones, the instrument includes an elongated shank and having a gripping portion at one end thereof and an aiming portion at the other end thereof, the aiming portion including a guide member made of a material relatively transparent to X-rays, the guide member having a bore therethrough adapted to slidingly receive an elongated hole-forming tool and having aiming elements located in different planes, the guiding bore being dimensioned for the guidance of a wire-like piercing tool, and the aiming elements being located around the guiding bore in axially spaced planes such that images of the aiming elements coincide on an image screen when the axis of the guiding bore coincides with the beam direction of said X-rays.