title: A novel way to prevent lost scalpel blades during percutaneous placement of iliosacral screws.
abstract: Percutaneously placed implants and reduction tools are now commonplace in orthopaedic traumatology. Significant strides toward reducing fractures and maintaining that reduction without additional harm to the soft tissue envelope have been realized. The majority of these percutaneous techniques begin with a simple "stab" incision through the skin into the deeper tissue planes beneath. With withdrawal of the scalpel, there is a possibility of dissociation of the blade relative to its handle. We describe a simple and cost-effective technique to completely eliminate this possibility.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, 2500 North State Street, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA. sporter@orthopedics.umsmed.edu
authors.forename: Scott E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Porter
authors.forename: George V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.forename: Jonathan C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Sledge
authors.forename: Peter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Cole
authors.forename: Matthew L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Graves
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001863:Bone Screws; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007085:Ilium / Q000601:surgery*; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D012447:Sacrum / Q000601:surgery*; D013525:Surgical Instruments / Q000009:adverse effects*