A 15-year-old male's left leg is placed in skeletal traction. The primary purpose of this measure for him is to:

Explanation

•Skeletal traction is used primarily to align the ends of the fracture.

•Skeletal traction involves the use of a pin or wire passed through the skin into the end of a long bone.

•With skeletal traction, ropes and pulleys are attached to weights to exert a pull on the extremity at the pin site. Cotton gauze squares usually are placed around the ends of the pins.

•Immobilization also prevents further trauma to tissue and will reduce pain.

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