Kirschner Wire - Complications

Complications

• Pin tract infection: Because K-wires often pass through the skin into bone they form a potential passage for bacteria from the skin to migrate into the bone and cause an infection. In such cases, the area around the pin becomes red and swollen and may start to drain pus. Usually this infection clears up after removal of the pin.
• Breakage: K-wires may bend or break, especially if the fracture does not heal.
• Loss of fixation: Smooth K-wires may back out of the bone losing the fixation. This is especially likely if they pass between two mobile bones.
• Migration of K-wires can occur; instead of backing out the wire can move deeper. K-wires passed across the acromioclavicular (AC) joint in the shoulder have been found to migrate into the chest with the potential to penetrate the major blood vessels, the trachea, lung, or the heart.