Orthopaedic hardware/ankle fracture

[londonbroker]

I broke my ankle back in April and had to have a plate and 11 screws inserted to fix it all back together. The surgeon recommends that I keep them in when it is all healed but I want to have them removed. Does anyone else have experience of hardware removal? I am concerned that the surgeon will refuse to remove the hardware. Will I be able to choose to have it removed or will they refuse? Answers from people who have broekn their ankle badly or orthopaedic suregons particularly appreciated!!

[crete]

not much help im afraid , but id take the advice of you surgeon,

[londonbroker]

Perhaps I should elaborate slightly on his advice. He said keep it in IF it doesnt bother you. Well, my view is that it does bother me a) psychologically - as the accident was not my fault and I therefore do not see why I should have to spend the rest of my life with metalwork in my leg! and b) I can very much feel the plate on the right hand side of my leg and get twinges from it from time to time. I would feel happier with it removed. 20 years ago, my father, bizarrely, also broke his right ankle. he had a phone call a year later from the hospital requesting that he came in for the hardware removal. he actually declined the invite but since then medical theory has changed and they normally recommend leaving it in.

[crete]

thanks for extra info. have you discussed your concerns and your wishes with your surgeon,? i do hope he is sympathetic to your wishes. but it would mean more surgery for removal. im assuming you would be quite happy to have more surgery,?

[londonbroker]

Well, im not exactly elated at the idea of having to go back in to have it removed but yes, i would be prepared to go through it! i was taken in as an emergency case so there was zero time to discuss what was going to happen. i understand that it has to be left in for a year in any case before it is removed for everything to heal up nicely. currently im just trying to get all the swelling down and try to get back to normal.

I did ask him and he said, yes they would remove it if i wanted but there has been no discussion since. but then i saw a different dr on a different check up and he said the hardware would be left in.

[crete]

so best thing to do is wait until the year is up see how you feel and then discuss with your surgeon, dont wish to be intrusive but have a feeling this incident was very traumatic for you .

[londonbroker]

you can say that again! there was a possibility that they might have had to amputate my right foot if things had not worked out ok. luckily they did.

[crete]

easy for me to say, but i hope everything works out as you hope for the future.

[Miss-taken]

I also broke my ankle in April although mine was a clean break in that it didn't need any screws or plates.
Judging by the amount of pain and agravation I still get from my ankle - I would leave well alone!

[Lonnie]

I broke my ankle about twelve years ago, still have the plate and screws in, they give no problem whatsoever, and i've been told that they have to stay in, I play Table Tennis, so a lot of pressure on the ankle, just don't notice it anymore.