Current practice regarding re-use of trauma instrumentation: results of a postal questionnaire survey.

A total of 248 Orthopaedic Units in the UK were surveyed following two newspaper articles about broken drill bits being retained in patients' bones. Questions were asked about re-use of drills, guide wires and taps, as well as about informing patients when drill bit fragments were left in situ during trauma surgery. The response rate was 79.0%. The majority of hospitals are not using new drill bits for each case nor new guide wires. In the current medicolegal climate, the fact that the majority of consultants are informing patients soon after surgery that a drill bit has fragmented in their bone is applauded.