Week 2, day 6

Due to the topic of my PBM and the uncertaincy of any potential patient requiring the Ilizarov Frame, it makes my week very un-orthodox. I have been in the call back clinic this morning with Mr R, but due to a bit of a mix up, there are no patients coming to clinic until 10am. I seem to be at a loss, but once there is an opportunity for a frame, it's all hands to the pump.


I intend to present myself to the Advanced Practice nurses, who "MOT" the frames and teach the patients how to protect their limbs once the frame is in place. The cleanliness of the limb is paramount, as not to allow infection to the pin sites.


The tightness of the wires is crucial to the healing process, if the wires become slack between the rings, this is another route of potential infection, and increased pain.

Pin site care must be done once every week, if not by the patient, the qualified nurse. Dressings are soaked in Hydrex (pink chlorexidine) solution and then placed around the pin site and up against the skin. If the Frame is for a lenghening problem, the pine sites will start to cut the skin as the frame is extended so by keeping the skin clean, infection will not occur.

To help with the safe keeping of the dressing, the black plug you find within a 20ml syring is pushed onto the wire during the application of the frame, this is also a technique of infection control.