In this video, you’ll see how I remove pins from a finger.
This patient had a finger fracture and was treated with a technique called closed reduction and percutaneous pinning. It’s a surgery where the broken bone is fixed with two wires inserted through the skin and into the bone to keep the pieces from moving. Sometimes the surgery can be done with just local anesthesia in the operating room.
The ends of each pin are covered with a pin ball to protect the surrounding fingers and to keep the patient from snagging the pin on things.
Many finger injuries can be treated like this, including fractures, dislocations, and some tendon injuries (like mallet finger). The percutaneous pins can usually be removed in the office without anesthesia.
Lisa Hannigan says
What if you want anesthesia? I got lightheaded just at the thought of the pins being removed while I’m awake. The whole situation was and is still so very painful if the finger barely touches anything that I want to be knocked out for the pin removal. I have 3 pins in my index finger from a comminuted fracture that happened about 2 weeks ago.
C. Noel Henley, MD says
Lisa:
Just request it. Most modern sedation can be given so that you literally remember and know nothing, yet still avoid a tube in your throat and breathe on your own.
But having a soft tube (called an LMA) in your throat will make you sleep deeper but still breathe on your own.
A lot of this depends on your surgeon, insurance, and anesthesia provider.