Periarticular screws: what’s in and what’s out of the joint?

Periarticular hardware placement can be challenging and a source of angst for orthopaedic surgeons due to fear of penetrating the articular surface and causing undue harm to the joint. In recent years, many surgeons have turned to computed tomography (CT) and other intraoperative or postoperative modalities to determine whether hardware is truly extraarticular in areas of complex anatomy. Yet, these adjuncts are expensive, time consuming, and often unnecessary given the advancement in understanding of intraoperative fluoroscopy. We present a review article with the goal of empowering surgeons to leave the operating room, with fluoroscopy alone, assured that all hardware is beneath the articular surface that is being worked on. By understanding a simple concept, surgeons can extrapolate the information in this article to any joint and bony surface in the body. While targeted at both residents and surgeons who may not have completed a trauma fellowship, this review can benefit all orthopaedic surgeons alike.