Ilizarov fixator pin site infection: A comparison between transverse wires and half pins.

Objective: To evaluate the difference in the infection rates between Ilizarov wires and half-pins in routine practice.
Methods: This was an observational, prospective; single-centre study approved by the institutional ethics committee. Hundred cases were treated from June 2014 to May 2018 at Ilizarov Surgery Unit, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery & Traumatology Liaquat University of Medical & Health Sciences Jamshoro Sindh Pakistan. All patients were subjected to an evaluation of half-pins and Ilizarov wires. Patients with monolateral fixators were excluded from the study. The demographic data included patient's age and sex, surgical indication, application and removal of Ilizarov fixator, follow-up duration and type of pin (transverse wire or half pin) used. Non probability consecutive sampling technique was used and sample size was calculated randomly.
Results: Of the total 100 cases, 79(79%) were male and 21(21%) were female with a mean age of 42.8±8.2 years. A total of 890 pins were applied in 100 patients with 170(19.10%) Half pins and 720(80.89%) wires. The transverse wire's infection rate according to Paley's grading system of Pin tract infection was, 46(53.48%), 25(29.06%) and 15(17.44%) in Grade I, Grade II and Grade III respectively. In case of half pin's infection, the majority of the cases were categories in grade II 22(55.0%) followed by Grade I 12(30.0%) and Grade III 06(15.0%).
Conclusions: The tensioned transverse wires had a significantly low infection rate as compared to half pins.