Delayed biodegradation of a meniscal screw.

A biodegradable polylactide meniscal screw was removed 32 months after the original meniscal repair. It was then subjected to gel permeation chromatography and was found to have retained 64.7% of its original molecular weight. Although it is obvious that the manufacturers of biodegradable implants have succeeded in producing materials that retain their strength long enough to allow tissue healing, the question arises as to the true biodegradation time of the same implants.