Foreign body gonitis caused by a broken poly-L-lactic acid screw.

Poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA), a biodegradable polymer, is generally considered to be gradually degraded without causing any severe tissue reaction. However, we encountered a patient who developed foreign body gonitis caused by screw breakage after fixation of an intercondylar prominence fracture with PLLA screws. This case suggests that care should be taken when PLLA materials are used to fix intraarticular fractures.