How do orthopedic surgeons insert external pins into a fractured wrist? it is a colles fracture that needed surgery. do they need to drill into bone?

Yes.: External fixation is performed by making a small in cusion in skin and drilling a pin directly into bone. The fracture is reduced into its anatomic or normal poition and the pins are used to hold this alignment either with/without an additional external bracing device to hold the pins. This procedure is also performed by plastic or general surgeons who have completed fellowships in hand surgery.

With a drill...: A colles fracture by strict definition is a fracture that doesn't propagate into the joint. If these fractures are not stable by closed reduction, then many times temporary pins will be placed with a drill to support the fracture for 4-6 weeks. Sometimes these pins are placed through 1/4 inch incisions, sometimes merely poked through the skin.

Power drill: Sounds like you are describing an external fixator.Threaded pins are placed w/ a power drill( generally 2 placed in 2nd metacarpal and 2 placed in radius bone proximal to the fracture). The pins are connected to clamps which hold the fixator rods .The clamps and rods can hold the fracture in good alignment by 'traction' and "ligamentotaxis". Plating is an alternative to ex. Fixators...