Abstract
Using both clinical and laboratory studies we investigated whether predrilling before
insertion of external fixation pins is necessary for use in treating distal radius
fractures. Our clinical study included 50 consecutive external fixators (4.0- and
2.5-mm pins) using 100 predrilled and 100 direct-drilled pins placed in a randomized
manner. There was no increased incidence of pin track infection or other pin problem
with the direct-drilled technique. There were, however, significantly elevated temperatures
with the direct-drilled technique. We therefore recommend predrilling even though
the temperature differences in this bone with this fixator were not clinically evident.
(J Hand Surg 2000;25A:1064-1068. Copyright © 2000 by the American Society for Surgery
of the Hand.)
Keywords
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References
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
May 15,
2000
Received:
November 25,
1997
Footnotes
*Funding for this project came from the Department of Orthopedics, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT.
**No benefits in any form have been received or will be received from a commercial party related directly or indirectly to the subject of this article.
★Reprint requests: Douglas T. Hutchinson, MD, Department of Orthopedics (3B165), University of Utah School of Medicine, 50 N Medical Dr, Salt Lake City, UT 84132.
Identification
Copyright
© 2000 American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
