Simple endoscope tested for atraumatic screw removal technique in trauma surgery

Area of Science:

• Surgical Instrumentation
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Bone screw removal can be challenging, particularly when implants are embedded in tissue.
• Existing methods may risk tissue damage during screw extraction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and evaluate a novel endoscopic device for atraumatic bone screw removal.
• To assess the device's efficacy in visualizing and accessing deeply embedded screws.

Main Methods:

• Development of a simple endoscopic device incorporating a transparent, illuminated rod.
• Integration of a specialized retractor for tissue manipulation and implant exposure.
• In vitro and simulated in vivo testing of the device's performance.

Main Results:

• The endoscopic device facilitated atraumatic removal of bone screws in laboratory settings.
• Illumination and the specialized retractor effectively improved visualization and access to the implant.
• Successful retrieval of screws in both in vitro and simulated in vivo conditions.

Conclusions:

• The designed endoscopic device offers a promising solution for safe and effective bone screw extraction.
• This tool has the potential to minimize surgical trauma during implant removal procedures.