“…It is reported that the drill-bit is the most frequently broken surgical instrument (Fothi, Perren et al 1992;Hirt, Auer et al 1992;Miller 2002;Price, Molloy et al 2002;Pichler, Mazzurana et al 2008) which represents a considerable dilemma for surgeons due to the complexities associated with removal of the broken portion from either the bone or medullary canal (Matthews, Landsmeer et al 2006;Bassi, Pankaj et al 2008). Actual breakage rates have been reported to vary between 0.14% (11/7,775 orthopaedic cases) (Price, Molloy et al 2002), 0.194% (23/11,856 orthopaedic cases) (Pichler, Mazzurana et al 2008) and 0.3% (3/1000 internal fixation procedures) (Hirt, Auer et al 1992).…”