Had hammertoe fixed. toe and joint shortened and a k wire put in. the k wire caught sock/came out after 3 weeks. can it damage the repair? is it ok

Depends: I advise you to call the surgeon and discuss the best course of action for your case. Socks can be dangerous.

Damage: The k wire is meant to stabilize the repair and allow scarring of the tissues (takes 4-6 weeks depending on procedure). Removing the stability device early can lead to recurring deformity or new deformity and pain later.

Should be alright: As long as it was stable during that 3 week period, I suspect that it will be alright. I typically remove the K wire after 3-4 weeks. If it came out with a sock, it was probably pretty loose. The fusion site in the toe should start to callus in 2-3 weeks, so the K wire becomes redundant if you are being very careful with the toe. Don't try to put it back in!!