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Schmidt, Nadja ; Memmel, Clemens ; Wulbrand, Christian ; Hanke, Alexander

Is Less More? The Need of Perioperative Antibiotic Prophylaxis and Burying K-Wires in Pediatric Trauma Surgery—A Retrospective Analysis of 779 Distal Forearm and Distal Humeral Osteosyntheses

Artikel

Schmidt, Nadja, Memmel, Clemens , Wulbrand, Christian und Hanke, Alexander (2026) Is Less More? The Need of Perioperative Antibiotic Prophylaxis and Burying K-Wires in Pediatric Trauma Surgery—A Retrospective Analysis of 779 Distal Forearm and Distal Humeral Osteosyntheses. Children 13 (8), S. 1033.

DOI zum Zitieren dieses Dokuments: 10.5283/epub.80786


Zusammenfassung

Background: K-wire osteosynthesis is a widely used, cost-effective technique for stabilizing pediatric and adolescent fractures. The beneficial effect of perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis (PAP) and burying the K-wires below skin level to reduce infectious complications is still controversial. The goal of this study was to evaluate if the omission of PAP and leaving K-wires unburied affected ...

Background: K-wire osteosynthesis is a widely used, cost-effective technique for stabilizing pediatric and adolescent fractures. The beneficial effect of perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis (PAP) and burying the K-wires below skin level to reduce infectious complications is still controversial. The goal of this study was to evaluate if the omission of PAP and leaving K-wires unburied affected the complication rate. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis of pediatric and adolescent K-wire osteosyntheses over a period of 11 years was performed. Records were screened for general, infectious and implant-associated complications. Follow-up was performed until the implant was removed. Results: Between January 2014 and December 2024 a total of 1022 K-wire osteosyntheses were performed and 779 were eligible for this study. Median follow-up to implant removal was 30 days [28–36 days]. At least one complication was documented in 17.6% (137/779) of the cases. Infectious complications were low at 2.6%—including 11 (1.4%) wound healing disorders and 9 (1.2%) pin site infections—and did not show difference regardless of application of PAP. No cases of osteomyelitis were observed until follow-up. Furthermore, implant-associated complications were more frequent with buried wires (10.2%; 19/187) than with unburied wires (3.4%, 20/592). Conclusions: Omitting perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis and leaving K-wires unburied in pediatric and adolescent patients undergoing closed reduction and K-wire fixation of distal radial and distal humeral fractures does not seem to increase the risk for infectious complications. Furthermore, unburied K-wires can be removed without the need for a second general anesthesia. Level of Evidence: III (retrospective cohort study).



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Details

DokumentenartArtikel
Titel eines Journals oder einer ZeitschriftChildren
VerlagMDPI
Open Access ArtGold (mit APC - bezahlt UR)
Band13
Nummer des Zeitschriftenheftes oder des Kapitels8
SeitenbereichS. 1033
Datum3 August 2026
Veröffentlichungsdatum21 Sep 2026 15:42
InstitutionenMedizin > Lehrstuhl für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin
Identifikationsnummer
WertTyp
10.3390/children13081033DOI
Stichwörter / Keywordspediatric fracture; distal humerus; distal forearm; K-wire; perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis; PAP; surgical site infection; SSI; fracture-related infection; FRI
Dewey-Dezimal-Klassifikation600 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften > 610 Medizin
StatusVeröffentlicht
BegutachtetJa, diese Version wurde begutachtet
An der Universität Regensburg entstandenJa
URN der UB Regensburgurn:nbn:de:bvb:355-epub-807864
Dokumenten-ID80786

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