Retrieval aid for a missed free-hand interlocking screw
If a free-hand interlocking screw does not engage its drill tunnel during intramedullary nailing of long bone fractures, the screw may slip and be pushed deep into soft tissues. Retrieval is difficult through a standard, percutaneous incision, often requiring extension of the incision as well as additional radiation exposure for removal and reinsertion of the screw. By tying a large absorbable suture around the screw head, the surgeon can retrieve the screw without having to extend the incision and dissect further. Once the screw engages bone appropriately, the suture can be broken forcibly and removed
Article, 1998