Retained broken outflow cannula recovered 6 years post-knee arthroscopy

One of the most common procedures performed in orthopedics is knee arthroscopy, and a variety of complications are found with this procedure. One of the most avoidable complications is that of retained instruments. This article describes the case of a patient in the private practice orthopedic setting who returned 6 years after a knee arthroscopic procedure reporting acute onset pain. It was discovered that a broken piece of the outflow cannula that had been used in the arthroscopy was present in her knee joint. This particular case highlights the importance of diligence within the operating room. A variety of instrument failures have been discussed in the literature, and these instrument failures must be considered when discharging patients from surgical procedures. Surgeons and operating room staff must be meticulous in inspection of surgical instruments both before and after the procedure. In our case, the instrument that had broken during the arthroscopic procedure fractured in such a way that it was not immediately evident. Had the staff noticed the change in the instrument either after the initial procedure or before the subsequent procedures in which the instrument was used, the patient could have been notified about the incident sooner.