The K wire is inserted into the bone to hold the fracture in a good position while it heals.
The repairing phase can last up to five weeks, depending on your age, general health and if you smoke.
It is normal to have swelling, bruising and stiffness with a loss of movement of your fingers whilst the fracture is healing. This may make your hand feel achy and stiff.
The swelling and stiffness can be improved by making sure that your hand is not held below the level of your heart. When you are resting, put your arm on cushions with the hand above your elbow or on the back of a chair.
Keep moving the unaffected fingers to help reduce any stiffness. Your therapist will advise you about moving the affected finger.
Illustrations from booklet MID 24010417
It is important to keep the K wire site and dressing clean and dry. This will stop the skin around the K wire from breaking down and reduce the risk of infection.
Contact the plastics trauma team if you suspect an infection (increase in pain and swelling with redness, which can track from the hand to the forearm) contact details can be found at the end of the leaflet.
Pain is a normal side effect of breaking a bone and can be helped by simple pain killers. The clinicians will advise you on what to take after your surgery.
The K wire will be removed when the bone has healed sufficiently, around four weeks after being put in place. It may take longer to heal if you are a smoker.
This procedure should not feel too uncomfortable. Any discomfort from the removal of the wire should settle within a few hours. We recommend that you continue with simple pain relief if required.
Do not get the K wire site wet for 48 hours, due to the risk of infection.
The movement and strength of your hand and fingers should improve after the wire has been removed.
You should be able to resume normal function after approximately 12 weeks.
Bone takes about three months to regain enough strength for contact sports.
You may find that the swelling lasts three to four months or more.
You may also find that the injured hand/finger will be more painful during cold weather
For further details and advice please contact the Plastics Trauma Clinic on: 01274 364397 between the hours of 7.30am and 5.00pm (available every day - including bank holidays)
You can contact us using the Relay UK app. Textphone users will need to dial 18001 ahead of the number to be contacted.
Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is a smoke-free organisation. You are not permitted to smoke or in use e-cigarettes in any of the hospital buildings or grounds.
