Orthopaedic Hardware removal

[londonbroker]

I broke my ankle badly in an accident in April 2006. I have 11 steel screws and a steel plate in my right leg. I want to get the metal removed. Does anyone here have experience of hardware removal? Was the improvement as great as you expected afterwards? Any comment would be most welcome. Thanks.

[megan07]

Hi london, my partners mother had a plate and screws removed from her ankle about 9 weeks ago, she was in hospital 2 days, and she said her ankle feels much better.
She is pleased she had them removed. love megan. xx

[smudge]

I'm sorry I can't give you any advice - but my nephew broke his leg when he was 21. He had a metal rod put down the middle of it, but never went back to have it removed. He's now 44!

I hope you get on okay if & when you have your steel plate removed. Good luck.

[smudge]

Crossed posts - Hi Megan, glad your partners Mum is okay now. Sleep well -xx-

[Ice.Maiden]

A huge improvement, definitely! My friend's husband had a girder dropped on his foot, and ended up with plates and screws in it. After an age, they were removed, as a plate in his heel was beginning to push through the skin and cause a lot of pain. He now feels much better.

[slinkycat]

Hi london, hasn't your consultant discussed the removal of the metalwork with you? Reason I ask is because my son broke his femur 3 years ago and had to have a rod inside the bone, plus 3 screws. It was always the intention to remove them once the break had fully healed, he had them in for 18 months just to be sure, then had them removed, he's now playing rugby again, although he sometimes gets the odd twinge.
Have to say though, he's only 17 now, kids bounce back so easily, and it was a clean break - yours doesn't sound so straightforward.
Can only suggest you talk to you consultant.