Stepwise Retrieval of a Broken Pituitary Disc Rongeur

We report a case of a patient undergoing open microdiscectomy at L5-S1, wherein the distal tip of a pituitary rongeur became dislodged within the disc space. Complication management and avoidance of anterior advancement are paramount. A stepwise plan to retrieve the foreign body was entertained in a methodical fashion. Such device failure places the patient at greater risk of injury, extends operation time, and adds undue burden on the surgical team. This situation warrants discussing the complications from retained foreign bodies and measures taken for their removal.