@george12345 I am confused. Your earlier post said that your implant was recalled and now you speak of only doing/needing a spacer (plus cleanup).

Was your implant recalled or just your spacer?

Even more importantly, don't go to a surgeon and say you want the spacer replaced and a cleanup. You want to go there and tell the revision surgeon of your problems and let him tell you what you need done. It doesn't hurt to ask but you shouldn't be telling him what you need. That would turn off most good surgeons.

If he tells you something you don't like and agree with, go for another opinion but do it the same way.

I will give you an example. I have been diagnosed with both arthritis at the base of the thumb and carpal tunnel syndrome on both arms. I went to my top rated hand surgeon and he told me he would have to do two separate operations: one on each arm both upper and lower and with a general anesthesia. (1) I need my hands and (2) I am terrified of general anesthesia.

I went to my neurologist and discussed it with him (I trust him a lot). He told me he trusts a surgeon at the Mayo Clinic and really likes her work. The nerve conduction study had been done by a retired Mayo hand specialist that my neurologist also likes. My neurologist concluded that the upper arm is only moderate and can probably be put off.

I had my appointment there yesterday. I am now scheduled for endoscopic surgery on my non dominant hand, not the ulnar nerve. She also concluded that I can put off the upper arm, at least for now.

As good as he is as a surgeon, he wasn't for me this time and I rapidly went elsewhere. That is my point. I didn't ask her to do an endoscopic surgery. I told her I was terrified of general anesthesia and she told me what she could do for me. When my hand surgeon told me how he would address my problems, and I didn't like the solution, I just went elsewhere.

That is what you should be doing with your search for a revision surgeon.