Compact small bone fixator

A compact external fixator comprising:

• an elongate cylindrical support rod;
• first and second rod clamps mounted to the support rod, the rod clamps having a loosened condition in which they can rotate about and translate along the elongate axis of the rod, and a tightened condition in which they are substantially fixed relative to the rod;
• first and second pin carrier blocks, one mounted to each rod clamp with each carrier block being pivotally moveable relative to the rod clamp to which it is mounted about a first pivot axis offset from and substantially perpendicular to the elongate axis of the rod, the pivotal movement between the carrier blocks and the rod clamps being selectively lockable to fix or release the relative pivotal position therebetween, each carrier block further including a generally planar circular pin mounting shelf with a central axis normal to the plane of the shelf, where the plane of the shelf is substantially parallel to and offset from the first pivot axis;
• first and second pin clamp rings, each pin clamp ring being generally planar and disk-like and including an inner face in which are formed a pair of spaced apart, parallel pin guide tracks, each pin clamp ring further being disposed centered coaxially over the central axis of one of the pin shelves with the inner face oriented toward, generally parallel to and spaced apart from the pin shelf to capture therebetween a pair of pins, of the pin guide tracks being adapted to receive the pins with the pin clamp ring and pins being rotatable relative to the pin shelf about the central axis when the pin clamp ring is loosened and fixed relative to the pin shelf when the pin clamp ring is tightened.