An unusual complication of knee arthroscopy: an extra-articular migrated asymptomatic broken probe from the knee joint.
In large knee arthroscopy series, the complication rate has been reported to be between 2% and 8%. Although preventable in most cases, the incidence of instrument breakage remains approximately 3%. Despite this relatively frequent occurrence, few case reports have been published regarding these complications. In this case report, a patient carried a broken probe tip in her popliteal muscle belly for 5 years without symptoms. During arthroscopy, when the C-arm was temporarily not available, a probe tip had broken off and was left behind in the knee joint. It migrated through a popliteal hiatus into the popliteal fossa, and lodged in the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle. When knee pain occurred 5 years later, the piece was located with fluoroscopy and was recovered without complications. This is the first such case reported in the English medical literature.
Oztekin
Haluk H
HH
2nd Clinic of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Atatürk Research and Training Hospital, Izmir, Turkey. hhoztekin@isbank.net.tr
D000293:Adolescent; D001182:Arthroscopy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005260:Female; D005548:Foreign-Body Migration / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000601:surgery*; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D013525:Surgical Instruments / Q000009:adverse effects*