Abstract
The purpose of this study was to evaluate 2 cases in which bioabsorbable screw fixation
for an osteochondritis dissecans lesion of the femoral condyle resulted in complications
necessitating the need for secondary surgery. We reviewed the case history of these
patients and described the circumstances under which the bioabsorbable screws were
used, the events leading to the need for secondary surgery, and the ultimate outcome.
In the 2 cases presented, these implants were found to retain their mechanical stiffness
for many months. This resulted in articular damage in 1 case after the treated lesion
failed to heal. In the second case, screw breakage 8 months after implantation resulted
in it becoming a loose body, which required removal during a second arthroscopic procedure.
We conclude that these implants retain their mechanical properties for many months
and cannot be relied on to degrade quickly. If a treated lesion fails to heal, these
implants can cause mechanical problems due to their retained structural properties.
Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery, Vol 17, No 5 (May-June),
2001: pp 542–545
Keywords
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Article info
Footnotes
*Address correspondence and reprint requests to Patrick E. Greis, M.D., Department of Orthopedics, University of Utah, 50 North Medical Dr, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, U.S.A. E-mail: [email protected]
Identification
Copyright
© 2001 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
