Fixation strength and pin tract infection of hydroxyapatite-coated taperedpins

In a multicenter, prospective, randomized study, the biomechanical and clin ical properties of the bone-pin interface were compared with standard taper ed pins and hydroxyapatite-coated tapered pins implanted in patients who un derwent femoral and tibial external fixation treatments. The results showed that the hydroxyapatite-coated tapered pins are clinically effective in im proving the strength of fixation of the bonepin interface. This improvement corresponded to a lower rate of pin tract infection. In the hydroxyapatite -coated pin group, there were no differences in strength of fixation betwee n the pins removed from the infected and uninfected pin tracts. In this pin group, the mean pin extraction torque was 531 +/- 225 Ncm in the infected pin tracts and 508 +/- 233 Ncm in the uninfected pin tracts. In the standar d pin group, the mean pin extraction torque was 73 +/- 142 Ncm in the infec ted pin tracts and 211 +/- 216 Ncm in the uninfected pin tracts. The advant ages provided by the hydroxyapatite-coated pins were higher in cancellous b one than in cortical bone.