ISPUB.COM The Internet Journal of Orthopedic Surgery Volume 22 Number 1 1 of 6 Prevalence Of Pin Tract Infection And Role Of Combined Saline And Povidone Iodine With Combined Spirit (Isopropyl Alcohol 70% V/V) And Povidone Iodine For Pin Tract Dressings. Z Ali, L Khurshid, S Vakil, A Anjum, S Dhar Citation Z Ali, L Khurshid, S Vakil, A Anjum, S Dhar. Prevalence Of Pin Tract Infection And Role Of Combined Saline And Povidone Iodine With Combined Spirit (Isopropyl Alcohol 70% V/V) And Povidone Iodine For Pin Tract Dressings.. The Internet Journal of Orthopedic Surgery. 2014 Volume 22 Number 1. Abstract Pin-site infection is a common complication in the treatment of open fractures treated with external fixators or percutaneously inserted pins or k- wires and has been reported to occur in up to 63% of pins1–4. The insertion of pin violates the integrity of skin leaving a track for bacteria to invade. The tract gets sealed naturally by epithelialisation External fixations of fractures is a technique to stabilize fractures and limbs using pins passed through the skin to the bone held together by using external frame. Pin tract infections cause pin-bone interface to become loose hence compromising stability of frame7. Aro,Hein and Chao recommended regular tightening of clamp screws to prevent loosening of clamp pin interface. Pin care is the process of cleaning a pin and the skin around pin where the pin enters the body. Good care of the pin and the pin tract is very important to prevent infection. Prevention of pin tract infection is therefore is one of the important factors for success of external fixation technique5. Pin tract infection can lead to ring sequestrum and persistent discharge. Prevention of pin tract infection therefore begins before pin is inserted. Planning begins from selection of pin for fixation and selection of frame geometry for fixator6. Schanz screw selected must be appropriate for diameter of bone in which it is inserted. Pins larger than one third the diameter of bone leads to larger defect in the bone for colonization of bacteria and hence pin tract infections7. There is very little evidence as to which pin site care regimen best reduces infection rates. There is a need for evidence-based practice guidelines for pin-site care as only few studies have compared the associated infection rates of different treatment methods. Idea behind using above agents was due to majority of patients coming to government hospitals belong to lower socioeconomic group and free availability of spirit, saline and povidone iodine in government hospitals. OBJECTIVE Infection at the pin tract is a common complication of external fixation. This study was done to compare the rate of pin site infection following of combined saline and povidone iodine with combined spirit and povidone iodine. A clinical study was conducted over a period of 18 -month period in post graduate department of orthopaedic skims medical college to look for prevalence of pin tract infections and its management. PATIENTS A total of 400 patients over a period of 18 months (July 2012 – December2013) were taken up for study out of which 250 patients were in study group and 150 patients in control group. 1850 pin sites were studied both in study and control group. The study group had 1200 pin sites while the control group had 650 pin sites. METHOD This was a prospective controlled study which compared the Prevalence of pin tract infection and role of combined saline and povidone iodine (control group) with combined spirit (isopropyl alcohol 70% v/v) and povidone iodine (study