The History of the Halo Skeletal Fixator

In Brief The development of the halo skeletal fixator was a defining moment in the treatment of spinal disorders. Credit for the original halo prototype has been given to Drs. Vernon Nickel and Jacqueline Perry. This article provides a historical prospective of the halo skeletal fixator’s development and describes several devices used outside of spinal surgery from which the original halo fixator was developed.