A child is going home with a distractor in place after surgery to repair syndactyly.Which discharge teaching is most important?
A) Clean around the pin sites twice a day with soap and water.
B) Don't pull the pins; they will gradually fall out on their own.
C) Perform range-of-motion exercises to the affected fingers daily.
D) Turn the screw with the Allen wrench twice a day for a week.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The distractor uses pins placed in the bone fragments that extend through the skin.The parents need to care for the pins using soap and water to clean around the exit sites.The pins need to be removed surgically; they will not fall out on their own.Because the bones are pinned,range of motion is not possible.The Allen wrench is used to turn the screw on the distractor twice a week.

A Child Is Going Home with a Distractor in Place