Pain and Satisfaction Levels upon Removal of External Fixator at an Outpatient Facility

Objective  To quantify the levels of satisfaction and pain of patients submitted to external fixation removal without anesthesia at an outpatient facility. Methods  The present was a prospective study involving 28 patients using external fixators who answered 3 questionnaires associated with the Visual Analogue and Numerical Pain Scale during different moments of the removal. Results  The average pain prior to fixator removal was of 3.61. Shortly after the procedure, the patients reported that, on average, the most intense pain scored 6.68, and the least intense pain, 2.25 points. The average pain variation was of 4.43 points, and pain after 1 week scored, on average, 2.03 points. The recollection of the pain after fixator removal scored lower than the pain reported immediately after the procedure (mean value: 5.29). Most patients were middle-aged men, and 89.3% used circular external fixators. The main limb segment involved was the leg, and most patients (71.4%) had never used an external fixator before; they preferred the removal at an outpatient facility because it was faster (75%), and to avoid hospitalization (25%). The most intense pain was felt during the removal of Schanz pins (60.7%), being worse in the extremities of the limbs for 75% of the patients. An absolute majority of 85.7% was satisfied with the removal, and 82.1% stated that they would undergo the procedure again. Conclusion  External fixator removal at an outpatient facility without anesthesia is a well-tolerated option for patients, with good levels of approval and satisfaction.