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Updated: Feb 16, 2026
Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty
Published on: July 5, 2011
Retained Surgical Drain After Total Knee Arthroplasty: An Eight-Year Follow-up: A Case Report
Daniel Gheorghiu1, Chris Cowan, David Teanby
1Department of Trauma and Orthopaedics, Whiston Hospital, Saint Helens and Knowsley Hospitals NHS Trust, Warrington Road, Prescot, Merseyside, L35 5DR, United Kingdom. danielg@gmx.de. ccowan88@gmail.com. david.teanby@sthtk.co.uk.
Case:
This report describes a patient in whom the intra-articular portion of a suction drain broke during total knee arthroplasty. The broken portion of the drain could not be removed, but the patient experienced no major complications over an eight-year follow-up period.
Conclusion:
The presence of a retained surgical drain needs to be carefully assessed but is not an absolute indication for removal.
