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Updated: Jul 19, 2026
A Mini-Invasive Internal Fixation Technique for Studying Immobilization-Induced Knee Flexion Contracture in Rats
Published on: May 20, 2019
Recurrent locking of knee joint caused by intraarticular migration of bioabsorbable tibial interference screw after
1Department of Traumatology, Surgical University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 110, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany. andreas.appelt@med.uni-heidelberg.de
Abstract:
Two cases are reported in which, after ACL reconstruction with autologous hamstring grafts, tibial polylactide interference screws migrated into the knee joint. Clinically, both patients presented with recurrent locking of the joint. In one case, a broken 15 mm-long tip of the screw was found intra-articularly. In the other case, the whole screw had migrated into the joint cavity. The degradation process of polylactic acid, operative technique and bone quality are discussed as possible reasons for these complications.
