HAWAII DRIFT - Buried vs exposed wires in hand and wrist fractures V1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Hand And Wrist: Antimicrobials and Infection – burieD vs. exposed K-wiRes In Fracture fixaTion
IRAS ID
342133
Contact name
Justin Wormald
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Oxford / Research Governance, Ethics and Assurance
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 1 months, 28 days
Research summary
Sometimes, after a broken hand or wrist, surgery is needed to fix the bones. This is routinely performed in the NHS and is usually the case if the bones have fallen out of place. During the surgery, doctors will use metal wires to hold the bones in the right place while they heal. Once the bones have healed, the wires are then removed. There are currently no reliable studies to tell us if these wires are better left sticking out of the skin or buried underneath the skin. This study will compare the two options to work out which is better.
Both options have advantages and disadvantages. Wires buried under the skin might lower the risk of the hand or wrist becoming infected but this option is more expensive for the NHS and requires another surgery to remove the wire. Wires sticking out of the skin make them easy to remove and are cheaper however, there may be a higher chance of infection. This is important as infections can be serious and can mean people need to come back into hospital for antibiotics or further surgeries. It can also mean that a person's hand or wrist will recover slower, affecting their work and daily life.
Participants with broken bones in the hand or wrist that need fixing will be randomly allocated to either have their wires buried or sticking out. The number of infections and hand and/or wrist recovery will be checked at 90 days and 6 months.
This study will be run in at least 22 hospitals around the UK and results from this study will help us decide how best to treat patients with broken hand and wrist bones that need surgery.
REC name
South Central - Oxford B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/SC/0365
Date of REC Opinion
18 Nov 2025
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion