Discharge Instructions: Pin Care
You are going home with pins in place. These pins are holding a broken or dislocated bone in place. Here’s what you need to know about home care.
You have a broken or dislocated ___________________ bone.
This bone is located in your ____________. You have _________ pins in place.
These pins are located in the following places: ______________________________________ .
General Guidelines
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Clean the skin around the pins twice a day or as often as instructed by your doctor.
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Don’t use creams, lotions, or antiseptics unless your doctor says it’s okay.
Prepare Your Supplies
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Set up the following supplies on a clean, dry surface:
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Gauze pads or cotton swabs.
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Sterile solution. This might be regular saline or a mixture of saline and hydrogen peroxide. Your doctor will tell you more.
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Peel open the gauze package or set aside some cotton swabs.
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Pour the solution into a bowl—enough to cover the bottom of a small salad or soup bowl.
Clean Your Pins
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Wash your hands with soap and water for at least
15 seconds before cleaning your pins. -
Dip the gauze pads or cotton swabs in the bowl of solution.
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Squeeze extra solution from the gauze and open the pad.
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Clean around each pin site using the soaked gauze pad or cotton swab. Gently press down on the skin, while wiping around and away from each pin.
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Remove any crust at the pin site. Use a new gauze pad or cotton swab each time you wipe.
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Use a new gauze pad or cotton swab to clean each pin site.
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Throw away used gauze pads and cotton swabs into a waterproof waste bag.
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Wash your hands after you have finished cleaning your pins.
Follow-Up
Make a follow-up appointment as directed by our staff.
When to Call Your Doctor
Call your doctor right away if you have any of the following:
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Fever of
100.4 °F or higher, or shaking chills -
Redness, swelling, or pain at the pin sites
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Green or yellow drainage from the pin sites
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Pins that move or shift or clicking noises from the pins
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Open skin around the pin sites
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Tingling or numbness in the injured limb
