Kirschner wire

wire (wīr) a slender, elongated, flexible structure of metal.

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Kirschner wire  a steel wire for skeletal transfixion of fractured bones and for obtaining skeletal traction in fractures.

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wire,

n slender and pliable rod or thread of metal.

wire, arch,

n wire used in orthodontics as a source of force to direct teeth to move in desired directions. The wire may be described according to the shape of its cross-section, such as ribbon, rectangular, or round.

wire, diagnostic,

n See wire, measuring.

wire edge,

n a thin, rough ridge created by particles that have been rearranged during hand instrument sharpening and appear on the surface adjoining the cutting edge.

wire, internal suspension,

n one of a network of wires placed inside the oral cavity connecting the zygoma and mandibular arch bar, which are used to immobilize the maxillary arch for healing after a LeFort I fracture. See also fracture, LeFort.

wire, Kirschner,

n.pr a surgical steel wire of heavy gauge with pointed ends; used in the reduction and fixation of bone fragments by passing it through the cancellous portion of the bone and spanning the fracture site.

wire, ligature,

n a soft, thin wire used to tie an arch wire to the band attachments.

wire, measuring,

n a wire or other similar metal placed in a root canal to determine the length of the canal. A radiogram is used to make the determination.

wire, orthodontic,

n stainless steel and wrought gold wire of various dimensions used in orthodontic treatment.

wire, Risdon

n.pr a wire arch bar tied in the midline.

wire, separating,

n wire threaded interproximally between two adjacent teeth and tightened by twisting the ends together to wedge the teeth slightly apart. Separating wire is used in preparation to adapt bands to teeth having tight contacts with adjacent teeth.

wire, transosseous

n a thin, flexible thread of metal that is laced through a hole drilled into the bone to bridge a fracture line and stabilize bone fragments. See also wire, Kirschner and wiring, perialveolar.

wire, wrought,

n 1. a wire formed by drawing a cast structure through a die; used in dentistry for partial denture clasps and orthodontic appliances.
n 2. a form of metal resulting from the swaging, rolling, and drawing of a metal ingot into a desired shape and size.

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Kirschner

named after Martin Kirschner, a German surgeon, a name commonly associated with surgical equipment.

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Kirschner apparatus

a system of stainless steel threaded fixation pins, interconnecting rods, clamps and nuts for external fixation of fractures.

Kirschner-Ehmer splint

an external splinting device based on transfixation pinning.

Kirschner wire

a steel wire for skeletal transfixture of fractured bones and for obtaining skeletal traction in fractures.

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wire

very thin metal rod or thread.

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interdental wire

placed around teeth adjacent to a mandibular or maxillary fracture to provide stabilization.

interfragmentary wire

may be used to stabilize the position of fracture fragments.

Kirschner wire

see kirschner wire.

wire loop lesion

thickening of the glomerular basement membrane in glomerular tufts by deposition of immune complexes; seen in membranous glomerulonephritis.

wire saw

very tough, braided steel wire used in obstetrics to cut through muscles and bone. Tends to clog up in skin and with viscera. Needs to be used with a protective fetotome to avoid injury to the vagina and uterus.

wire saw introducer

1. may be a long, 3 feet, blunt needle with an eye at the introduced end. Used to thread wire saw through the tube of an embryotome.

2. a heavy metal bean-shaped plaque, size of a hand palm, with two holes; used to carry the end of the wire saw through the uterus, around the object to be removed, and out again through the vagina. The two ends of the saw are then threaded into the tubes of the embryotome.

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Kirschner wire

K wire Orthopedics An unthreaded segment of extruded wire which is drilled into bone like a drill bit, either temporary or permanent, and alone or with cannulated screws to reduce and stabilize fractures; K wires can be placed between bones, or used as an intramedullary device to bridge fractures of small tubular bones. See Wire.