Hip pinning
Also called: pin fixation hip, percutaneous pinning
What it means
Hip pinning is a surgery where metal screws or pins are placed through the skin and into the hip bone to hold a fractured femoral neck together while it heals.
If you break your hip, understanding how it may be fixed helps you know what recovery, weight-bearing limits and rehab to expect.
Hip pinning is typically used for certain hip fractures, especially fractures of the femoral neck that are not badly shifted out of place, or in some cases to stabilize a hip before it breaks (like with certain stress fractures). The surgeon positions the pins through small incisions, which often means a shorter surgery and quicker recovery than larger operations.
After hip pinning, your care team will set rules about how much weight you can put on that leg and for how long, since bone needs time to heal around the hardware. Physical therapy usually starts early to help you regain strength and move safely, often with a walker or crutches at first.
Possible risks include infection at the pin site, the screws loosening or failing to hold position, delayed healing or nonunion, and a risk called avascular necrosis, where part of the femoral head loses blood supply and breaks down. Your surgeon decides the best fixation method based on your fracture pattern, bone quality and overall health.
Hip pinning uses screws or pins to hold a broken femoral neck together while it heals.
Where this leads
WordHip pinning holds bone together with hardware. Wondering how it compares to a related surgery called ORIF that repositions and fixes broken bone pieces?
Related words
A hip fracture is a break at the femoral neck, the narrow part of bone connecting the hip joint ball to the thigh…
ORIF stands for "open reduction internal fixation." It's a surgery where a surgeon repositions broken bone pieces…
The femoral neck is the angled part of bone joining your hip ball to your thigh bone shaft, and it's the most common…
Avascular necrosis is when part of a bone dies because it loses its blood supply, which can weaken and eventually…
Internal fixation is surgery that uses metal rods, plates, screws, or wires placed inside the body to hold a broken…
Weight-bearing status is a doctor's instruction on how much weight you can safely put on a healing bone or joint,…
Education only, not medical advice. Decisions about tests, medications and treatment belong with your own doctor. OsteoStrong does not diagnose, treat or cure any disease.
