title: Broken blade in the knee: A complication of arthroscopic meniscectomy.
abstract: Arthroscopic surgery has a very low incidence of intraoperative complications. However, while the authors were using a No. 11 blade to resect the anterior horn of a meniscus, the blade broke and the fragment flew into the posterior knee compartment. The only way to remove it was to make an incision over the popliteal area. We describe this complication to show that improvisation and use of inappropriate surgical instruments can lead to serious problems and the failure of arthroscopic procedures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, Institute of Surgery, Clinical Center, Medical School, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Yugoslavia. milankom@eunet.yu
authors.forename: Miroslav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Milankov
authors.forename: Dragan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Savic
authors.forename: Natasa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Miljkovic
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001182:Arthroscopy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008592:Menisci, Tibial / Q000601:surgery*; D013525:Surgical Instruments / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000070600:Tibial Meniscus Injuries