A Humble Periodontal Probe Can Help Implant Removal During Revision Total Joint Arthroplasty: A Technical Note

Abstract

R evision total joint (hip and knee) arthroplasty is a complex procedure that usually necessitates implant removal, which, if done correctly, will ease the subsequent reconstruction.1 Preoperative planning is of paramount importance in the revision of total joint arthroplasty surgeries; the surgeon should make sure that he/she has both the skills and the equipment needed for the surgery, an integral part of this plan is how the surgeon is going to remove the implants with the minimal force (to avoid soft tissue disruption) and with the least bone loss possible.2,3 Various tools had been introduced to facilitate fixed knee or hip implants removal, such as drills, oscillating saws, Gigli saws, reciprocating saws, thin flexible osteotomes, high-speed metal cutting burrs, punches, impactors, and universal distraction devices for cement removal, hooks, curettes, flag splitter, and ultrasonic devices could be used.1–4 In this technical note, we described how a humble periodontal probe (from dental surgery tools) could be a helpful tool for removing fixed implants in revision total joint arthroplasty surgery. TECHNIQUE