Closed Reduction & Percutaneous Pinning (CRPP)
TYPICAL PROCEDURES
Supracondylar humerus fractures · lateral / medial condyle fractures · distal radius and forearm fractures · phalangeal and metacarpal fractures · distal femoral physeal, and tibial fractures. Any pediatric fracture amenable to closed reduction with percutaneous wire.
| CPT / PROCEDURES | |
| Supracondylar / transcondylar humerus — percutaneous pinning | 24538 |
| Humeral condyle (lateral or medial), with manipulation | 24582 |
| Distal radius / epiphyseal separation — percutaneous | 25606 |
| Metacarpal fracture — percutaneous, each bone | 26608 |
| Phalangeal shaft fracture (proximal/middle), percutaneous, each | 26727 |
| Distal femur (condyle / supracondylar / physeal) — percutaneous | 27509 |
| Tibial shaft — percutaneous (e.g., pins) | 27756 |
| Note 24538 is the supracondylar workhorse. Use the open-treatment codes on Card 2 if an incision is needed to achieve or hold the reduction. | |
CORE PHILOSOPHY
- Extremely lean setup; most cases are upper extremity.
- No routine suction or Bovie unless specifically requested.
DRAPING & POSITIONING
- Single down sheet (half sheet or 3/4 drape).
- Pack of blue towels · towel clamp x1.
- Upper-extremity hand drape with a very small pediatric fenestration — avoid a loose, oversized fenestration.
- Radiolucent plexiglass arm/hand board for fluoro-guided upper-extremity work.
- Large C-arm image intensifier positioned (flipped) for efficient AP/lateral imaging; plexiglass cover over the intensifier face so pins do not strike it.
EQUIPMENT
- Small battery power drill (Stryker or equivalent).
- Wire collets: small and large for K-wires and Steinmann pins.
- Splint / cast cart in the room.
OPEN INSTRUMENTS
Open these sets — click for the full tray list
- Pin cutter · K-wire cutter.
- Heavy wire / cable twister needle driver.
- Metal Frazier 12 Fr suction tip — used for bending K-wire tips, not for suction.
- Bolt cutters available for larger Steinmann pins.
IMPLANTS — SMOOTH K-WIRES & PINS
- All K-wires & pins: sterile, individually packaged, ~9 in length, double-diamond point (diamond on BOTH ends), smooth (non-threaded). Primary order source: STERIS — double-diamond, 9 in, 6 per tube (shop.steris.com; requires a STERIS customer account # to purchase). Equivalent alternates: gSource (double-diamond, sterile) · Zimmer Biomet / DePuy Synthes.
- 2.0 mm (0.078 in): WORKHORSE — this is a Steinmann pin, not a K-wire. Keep well stocked. STERIS KI71600 (Steinmann pin, double diamond, 9 in, 6/tube).
- 1.6 mm (0.062 in): STERIS KI71213 · 1.4 mm (0.054 in): STERIS KI71214. Smaller (1.25 / 1.1 mm) available for small hands / digits.
- 2.2 mm (0.087 in) & 2.4 mm (0.094 in): available for larger bone / older kids.
- Supracondylar default — open 3 K-wires, 2.0 mm each, unless I specify otherwise.
- Larger pins: up to 4.0–5.0 mm Steinmann pins available.
- Rubber pin covers / caps — cap every exposed wire & pin end. Aspen Oxboro (sterile, latex-free): yellow 101001PBX for K-wires (0.028–0.062 in); blue 101002PBX (0.078–0.125 in); red 101003PBX for larger Steinmann (0.141–0.188 in). Stock all three sizes.
DISPOSABLES / LOCAL
- Xeroform small packets · 4x4 gauze pack · Specialist cotton-blend cast padding, 3 in (BSN 9043; 2/4/6 in = 9062/9044/9046).
- 22-gauge 3-inch needle · 10 cc syringe.
- 0.25% plain Marcaine / bupivacaine for postoperative local injection.