Role of coatings and materials of external fixation pins on the rates of pin tract infection:A systematic review and meta-analysis

作     者：Cristhopher Stoffel Bruno Eltz Mauro Jose Salles 

作者机构：Department of Orthopedic SurgeryInstituto de Ortopedia e Traumatologia do Rio Grande do SulPasso Fundo 99010110Rio Grande do SulBrazil Department of Orthopedic SurgeryHospital São FranciscoConcordia 89700-000Santa CatarinaBrazil Musculoskeletal Infection GroupInternal Medicine DepartmentSanta Casa de Sao Paulo School of Medical SciencesSao Paulo 01221-020Brazil Musculoskeletal Infection GroupDivision of Infectious DiseasesEscola Paulista de MedicinaUniversidade Federal de Sao PauloSao Paulo 01221-020Brazil 

出 版 物：《World Journal of Orthopedics》 (世界骨科杂志（英文版）)

年 卷 期：2021年第12卷第11期

页      面：920-930页

学科分类：1002[医学-临床医学] 08[工学] 0805[工学-材料科学与工程（可授工学、理学学位）] 

主　　题：External fixator Pin tract infection Stainless steel pin Coated pin Coating systems Pin site infection 

摘      要：BACKGROUND Infection at the pin tract is a frequent and feared complication of external fixators(EF).The type of pin material and coatings have been regarded as possibly influencing infection rates.Over the last 20 years,few prospective clinical studies and systematic reviews addressed the role of coated pins on the rate of pin site infection in human clinical studies.AIM To assess the EF literature over the past 20 years on the clinical benefits of pins manufactured from varied materials and coating systems and their possible role in pin tract infection rates.METHODS We performed a systematic review according to the PRISMA and PICOS guidelines using four scientific platforms:PubMed,LiLacs,SciELO,and Cochrane.We searched the literature for related publications over the past 20 years.RESULTS A literature search yielded 29 articles,among which seven met the inclusion criteria.These studies compared stainless-steel pins and pins coated with hydroxyapatite(HA),titanium and silver.The pin tract infection definitions were arbitrary and not standardized among studies.Most studies included a low number of patients in the analysis and used a short follow-up time.Three metaanalyses were carried out,comparing stainless steel vs silver pins,stainless steel vs HA-coated pins,and titanium vs HA-coated pins.None of this analysis resulted in statistically significant differences in pin tract infection rates.CONCLUSION Currently,no clinical evidence supports the advantage of EF pins manufactured with materials other than stainless steel or coated over uncoated pins in reducing the rates of pin tract infections.A standardized definition of pin tract infection in external fixation is still lacking.