title: Progressive migration of broken Kirschner wire into the proximal tibia following tension-band wiring technique of a patellar fracture--case report.
abstract: Wire breakage and migration is a known complication of  using a wire tension band construct to treat displaced patella  fractures. We report a case of a broken K-wire that migrated  from the patella completely into the proximal tibia without  complication 9 years after the index surgery. This report  highlights the fact that wire migration can occur long after  fracture healing and be relatively asymptomatic. But because  the complications of wire migration can be deadly, it requires  diligence on the part of the physician to educate the patient  that new knee pain after operative fixation requires formal  evaluation by the treating surgeon.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases, 301 East 17th Street, New York, NY 10003, USA. sanjit.konda@gmail.com
authors.forename: Sanjit R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Konda
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dayan
authors.forename: Kenneth A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Egol
mesh_terms: D001864:Bone Wires / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005548:Foreign-Body Migration / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation*; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010329:Patella / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery*; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D011859:Radiography; D013977:Tibia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013997:Time Factors