Buried versus unburied Kirschner wires in the management of paediatric lateral condyle elbow fractures: a comparative study from a tertiary centre

• Published in: Journal of pediatric orthopaedics. B Vol. 25; no. 1; p. 69
• Main Authors: Ormsby, Neal M, Walton, Roger D M, Robinson, Simon, Brookes-Fazakerly, Stephen, Chang, Fernando Yuen, McGonagle, Lorcan, Wright, David
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.01.2016
• Subjects: Bone Wires; Child; Elbow Joint - injuries; Elbow Joint - surgery; Female; Fracture Fixation, Internal - adverse effects; Fracture Fixation, Internal - instrumentation; Humans; Humeral Fractures - surgery; Male; Postoperative Complications - etiology; Retrospective Studies; Surgical Wound Infection - etiology; Surgical Wound Infection - microbiology
• ISSN: 1473-5865
• DOI: 10.1097/BPB.0000000000000226

There is little consensus on whether Kirschner wire (K-wire) burial is preferable in the management of paediatric lateral humeral condyle fractures. We identified 124 patients from May 2008 to August 2014. Sixty received buried K-wires and 64 received unburied wires. We found no significant difference in the infection rates between groups, but a high rate of skin erosion (23%) in the buried group, with a subsequent high rate of infection in this subgroup (40%). We found a strong association of wire erosion following early surgery. There is a considerable cost saving associated with using unburied wires. We therefore recommend the routine use of unburied wires.