Description of Event or Problem · 1
PATIENT'S OPERATION WAS A SCAPHOID FRACTURE ORIF. THE SINGLE SCREW REQUIRED FOR FIXATION WAS BEING SCREWED INTO THE SCAPHOID BONE BY HAND WHEN THE SCREWDRIVER END BROKE OFF WITHIN THE SCREW. AS A RESULT, THE SCREW WAS LEFT APPROXIMATELY 1MM PROUD FROM THE BONE CORTEX AND WAS UNABLE TO BE REMOVED OR PUT IN ANY FURTHER DUE TO THE VERY SMALL AMOUNT LEFT OUTSIDE THE BONE. A NEW SCREWDRIVER COULD NOT BE USED TO FURTHER ADVANCE THE SCREW BECAUSE OF THE BROKEN PIECE LEFT IN THE SCREW HEAD BY THE PREVIOUS SCREWDRIVER. SO 1) THE FIXATING SCREW WAS LEFT ABOUT 1MM PROUD FROM THE SCAPHOID BONE PROXIMALLY, AND 2) A SMALL FOREIGN BODY IS PRESENT IN THE PATIENT WHICH IS THE TINY PIECE OF SCREWDRIVER THAT BROKE OFF WITHIN THE SCREW HEAD. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE PORTION OF SCREW LEFT PROUD COULD GOUGE OR PRESS AGAINST THE PATIENT'S DISTAL RADIUS UPON EXTREME FLEXION OF THE WRIST. THE PATIENT LEFT THE HOSPITAL UNAWARE OF THIS SITUATION POST-OP AND WE HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO CONTACT THE PATIENT BY PHONE.