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· DOS Abstracts
Open showering of external ring fixators in
combination with occlusive pin care.
A prospective study of infection rate.
Mykola Horodyskyy, Søren Kold, Pernille Bønneland, Anne Mette Pedersen,
Juozas Petruskevicius
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Aalborg University Hospital
Background:
Pin site infection is a common complication in patients treated
with external ring fixation. At our institution prophylactic pin care includes oc-
clusive pin site dressings and bah care with a covered frame. However, patients
have a wish for showering without the need for covering the frame.
Purpose / Aim of Study:
Prospective study of deep pin-site infection rates in
patients allowed showering without covering of external frame.
Materials and Methods:
Open showering was allowed for patients who both
had no inflammation at pin-sites and were able of uncovering pin-sites without
help. This open care stopped if pin- site inflammation occurred. 32 (20 females,
mean age of 54 years) of 143 patients treated with external ring fixation due to
tibia fracture from 2011 to 2013 fulfilled inclusion criteria and were prospec-
tively included. We registered overall use of antibiotics, time in frame, number of
showers taken during the treatment, rate of complications and re- operations.
Findings / Results:
All fractures united. Frame was removed after a mean time
of 24 weeks (range 13 to 43). Median time from operation to showering was
7 weeks (range 2 to 34). Median number of open showers taken during treat-
ment period was 8 (range 1-32). Pin-site inflammation was observed in 17
patients after they began showering. These patients had to stop showering (for
median 4 weeks) and 15 of them needed treatment with antibiotics. Median
length of treatment with antibiotics was 15 days (3 to 128). There were 3
patients with deep pin sites infection. Two patients were hospitalized for intra-
venous antibiotics, and one of them underwent two re-operations because of
acute osteomyelitis at the fracture site.
Conclusions:
Comparative studies with control group are needed to investigate
whether showering of uncovered frames is a risk factor for pin site infection.
187.
