Last fall, I had surgery to repair a torn meniscus in my knee. The surgeon used a new device called an arrow to hold my knee together. These arrows replace stitches. One of the arrows has worked its way up to the skin on the inside of my knee. It is tender and irritates the skin. Why doesn’t the doctor take it out?

The new arrows are “bioabsorbable,” which means the body will eventually absorb or dissolve this material. Minor complications are very common with the use of the arrows.? As many as one-third of all cases may develop symptoms of knee pain and tenderness, skin irritation, and bruising.

Studies have shown that many of the symptoms associated with the use of these arrows are temporary. Most of the problems take care of themselves within the first year. Further surgery is required only occasionally.