Sixteen patients with severely comminuted displaced fractures of the distal radius and ulna, who were treated with a small AO external fixator, have been reviewed at an average of 2.2 years after injury. Removal of the fixator, at an average of 4.9 weeks, was followed by significant alteration in position in some cases. The external fixator should be retained for eight weeks to reduce the risk of loss of position. In those cases with a good or excellent anatomical result on radiological assessment after removal of the fixator, the functional results were good or excellent in 80%.