Dr. Timothy K. Durnin - 12/4/2007

Question
my 71 yr old mother is 9 weeks s/p 3 hip pins and 6 weeks s/p left superior and inferior pubic rami fractures. She fell 3 weeks after the hip pinning and fractured the pubic rami bones. The pelvis xray showed the tip of one pin was extending into the joint space. My mom is walking with the aid of a walker for 2 weeks but her therapist said she isnt bearing 100 percent of her weight on the left leg.  Is this because of the screw tip being in the joint? She has pain on the sides of her  outter upper thigh. If so, is it major surgery to have it removed? The bone is healing fine

Answer
Hi Kim.

That pin has to be removed if in the hip joint, not doing so will ruin her hip. If the PT is putting ANY weight on that while the pin is protruding into the acetabular cavity, he is in big trouble. Get to a surgeon and get it out!


Dr. Timothy Durnin