INSERTION OF K-WIRES BY HAMMER GENERATES LESS HEAT - A STUDY OF DRILLING AND HAMMERING K-WIRES INTO BONE

Laboratory tests were carried out on cadaver animal bones to evaluate the thermal effect of inserting K-wires with a pneumatic hammer as com pared to drilling. The mean maximum bone temperature 0.5 mm from the K -wires was 34 (22-72)-degrees-C using the hammer and 54 (19-100)-degre es-C for drilling, 1.0 mm from the K-wire the mean maximum temperature was 31 (19-52)-degrees-C for hammering and 47 (17-91)-degrees-C for d rilling. The mean time for the temperature exposure in the cases of dr illing was 50 s and for hammering 41 s. The hammering device may reduc e the risk of heat-induced injury.