How do I Care for Pins On An External Fixator?

Orthopedic surgeons apply external fixators to bone fractures of the upper and lower extremities. An external fixator is a device that is worn on the outside of the body and held in place with two or more metal pins. The pins are surgically inserted on either side of the fracture site to provide stability to the fractured bone until healing occurs. To avoid risk of infection, the areas of the skin sites must be cleaned daily.

Things You'll Need

• Sterile swabs
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Normal saline
• Gauze sponges
• Disposable gloves

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Instructions

• 1

  Wash your hands thoroughly. Apply disposable gloves.

• 2

  Prepare a teaspoon mixture of 1/2 hydrogen peroxide and 1/2 normal saline.

• 3

  Apply the hydrogen peroxide and normal saline mixture to the skin around the pins using a sterile swab.

• 4

  Apply saline-moistened gauze sponges around the base of the pins. Clean pin sites twice daily.