Intraosseous wiring of the digital skeleton.

One hundred cases of osteosynthesis done by the use of intraosseous wiring are presented. Two techniques of wiring are described, one used in transverse fractures and arthrodeses in which an additional Kirschner wire is employed, the other in which No. 0 monofilament wire can be placed perpendicular to the line of osteosynthesis. Forty-seven fractures were treated and there was union in all cases; 53 arthrodeses were performed, with failure in five, due, it is believed, to a failure to observe the essential elements of the technique, namely the need to obtain congruous bone ends and to maintain all internal fixation until there is clinical evidence of union. Overall, 83.2% of the maximum attainable total active range of motion was achieved in the 100 cases.