Orthopedic hexapods: history, present and prospects

The article is dedicated to computer-assisted external fixation devices, so-called hexapods. The main advantage of these frames is capability to make mathematically precise correction of bone fragments in three planes and six degrees of freedom on the base of calculations made in special software application. Recently these devices are mostly applied in long bone deformity correction but the sphere of its effective useis not limited by only this direction. The article presents the history of investigation of these devices, their development, implemented comparative analysis of the basic hexapods: TSF (Taylor Spatial Frame), IHA (Ilizarov Hexapod Apparatus) and Ortho-SUV Frame.